IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


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I.I 


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I  IS  IS 
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U    IIIIII.6 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


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73  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  M580 

(716)  872-4503 


A, 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


i,\ 


m 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The 
tot 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  bast 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliog.  iphically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
0 
D 
D 
D 

□ 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  da  couleur 

Covers  dai  iaged/ 
Couverture  endommati6e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pelliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


L'institut  a  microf  ilm6  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

n    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
r><>2es  restaur6es  et/ou  pellicul6es 

0    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
i'ages  d6color6es,  tachetdes  ou  piqui 


D 
0 


The 
pos 
oft 
film 


Ori( 

beg 

the 

sior 

oth< 

first 

sion 

oril 


piqu6es 


□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

0Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materia 
Comprend  du  matdriol  suppl^mentaire 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


The 
shai 
TINI 
whii 

Mar 
diffi 
entii 
begi 
right 
requ 
metl 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  ddition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6X6  film6es  d  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu4  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


ire 

details 
les  du 
modifier 
ler  une 
filmage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Scott  Library, 
Yoric  University 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  film^  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
gAnArosit6  de: 

Scott  Library, 
York  University 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettut6  de  l'exemplaire  f  ilm6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmage. 


6es 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprlm^e  sont  film6s  en  commengant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmis  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  appara?tra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  ▼  signifie  "FIN". 


re 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
film6s  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  ciichA,  11  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


/  errata 
id  to 

It 

ie  pelure. 

pon  d 


1 

2 

3 

t 


1 


6 


32X 


w 


SIR    GEOBQE    COLLIER, 

Cil'TMS   OF   TIIK    UaINUOW. 


.,»'irf'''«7iirM>«IHiiw 


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■■(■■nwiiMii   HI.  mil,,... 


•  ^>rriii  iiririi^ 


>il 


T  H  E 


NARRATIVE 


John    R  la  re  in- or  i>. 


DETAILING 


//,.s  Suj)\;-inq>^  in  the  lirmhilionanf  "  «r,  ivhile  a  Prixunrr 
with  Ihr  Jirifish. 

AS      Kl-fATi;!'     !1N      IMMsr.l.l. 


1 


AN    KNTUODUCTION    AND    NOTKS, 


cllAllLEs   I.  r.t  SUM- 


NEW    YORK  : 

|.  i;  t  V  \  |-  I    I    V      r  ir  I   V    I    I    i> 
1  86f). 


s 


I 


^  -1 

/^ 

y 

m 

> 

''/■A- 

\ 

\ 

Knturetl.  .uoiriling  t(i  Act  nl  Cimgress,   in   tliu   year   iSd;.  Iiy 

CII.MtNKS  1.    lU'SHXKl.l.. 

In  tlie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  Vork. 


^SmwHMBf 


^5 


TO 


CAPT.  JOHN    BLATCHFORI), 


OK    r.OCKI'OKT,   MASH., 


F.  I,  I)  K  S  T      S  IT  It  V  I  V  I  \  (i      S  t)  X      «)  V      T  II  K 


HERO  OF  THIS  NARKATIVK. 


TlUrf   TRACT 


IS    Rr.srr.cTFii.i.Y 


DEDICATED 


» 


r-- 


-it 


INTRODUCTION. 


OIIN      I'.LAT^IIFORI),      the     ll-ln     nf     this 

iiiirnitivc,  \v;is  the  son  of  John  Uhitchfiird, 
iifSaiuly  Uiiy,  imw  IvOckjxM't,  uu  (';i[it'  Ann, 
hi  tlic  (.■<iiiiin(in\ve;iltli  df  Massiiclm-cits,  (ind 
was  l)oni  iil)out  the  year  1762. 

After  rccciviMir  a  very  limited  education,  he  was  linm^lit 
nn  to  tlie  (leeiipation  of  a  lisliernian,  wliieli  eniiih>ynieMt  he 
liursiK'd  until  the  month  of  June,  1777,  wlieii,  \>rl\\>s  alimii 
fifteen  years  of  atre,  he  enlisted  as  a  cahin-lxiy  on  \><k\V(\  the 
Hancock,  a  continental  sliii),  commanded  by  Cajit.  Jolm 
Maidy. 

On  the  8t!i  day  of  July  fi)llowiii<r,  the  llaucDek  was  r'ap- 
fured  l»y  the  British  ship  Rainbow,  Sir  Gcorg-e  ("oilier,  and 
her  crew  taken  to  Kaiifax  and  imprisoned.  After  Ijeiiiu- 
immured  there  awhile,  and  treated  with  great  severity,  our 


liljjifUiiuM^aif^wj 'I '"'^y'^^^^ 


IV 


IMRUULCTKtX. 


liiTii  \Vii<  sent   to  Kiijrlaiul,  niul  scimi  iit'lcr  lii>  iirriv:>l  tliere 
wii-  put  nil  l)(i;inl  iiii  Iiidiiiiiiaii,  iiml  triiii-|Mirtf(l  witli  oijrlity- 
two  otlni'   AiiiiTicaiis   ti»   tlic   East    Indies,   wlicn-   ho   was 
(•((iiiiM'llfi!  lifst  to  do  duty  as  a  soIdi<'r,  and  tlifu  to  work  in 
tlic  |K'|ipi'i'  jjurdt'Ms  iH'Ioiiiriiijr  to  tlit*  Kast  India  ('oinj)aiiy. 
IK'  ('Vi'utualJy,  with  li'ivat  risl<  and  after  urcat   siiircriiijr, 
ctVi'ctt'd  his   oscaju',   and    ultimately    reached   (tnaduionpo, 
one  of   the  AVi'st    India  Islands,  wliore    he    took    i)assagc 
foi"    I'hilailelphia  ;    lint    niisfortinie   airain    hefell    him,    for 
while  on  his  way  thither,  he  was  captured  hy  the  enemy, 
taken   to    New   Vork,   and    put   on    hoard  tiie  prison  ship 
•'.Ier<ey."     Aflei'  remaiuini^   in   this   wretched    hulk  ahout 
a  week,   he   was    sent    in   a  cartel    to    France,   whence   in 
cour-e   of   time    he    returned    Imme,    after   an    absence  of 
almost   six    years,  having;',  during-    his    limu*   imprisnmnent, 
endured    the    severest     hard>hiii>    and     jirivations,  experi- 
enced the   mo>t   barbarous    treatment    from    the    hanils  of 
the     British,    and     made     several     narrow    escapes    from 
death,    not     only    from     the    bayonet,    but     IVoni    huiiirei' 
ami    disease,    and    likewise    from    the    attack    of    savage 
bea<ts  of  prey. 

Soon  after  his  return,  he  married  Anna,  the  (hiuu'hter  of 
Neheiniah  (Jrover,  a  farmer  by  neeupation,  and  a  respectable 
laiidholiler.  Mr.  IMatchford  resumed  th(>  avocation  of  a 
li>herman,  which  he  followed  for  a  short  time,  and  then  took 


INTKOnUCriOK. 


to  the  sous  for  a  livelihood,  tnakinj?  many  voyaj^cs  to  fon'ii:ii 
coHiitries.  Ho  died  iit  Tort  an  I'riiico,  in  tiie  West  Indies, 
al)out  tlio  year  171)4,  and  was  hiiried  in  tiiat  town.  He 
left  survivini;  him  iiis  widow,  and  also  two  sons  and  one 
(hinirliter,  to  mourn  tlieir  untimely  loss. 

In  his  stature,  our  hero  Wi»s  about  medium  heiirht. 
He  had  liroad  shoulders,  full  chest,  and  wejl-proitortioncd 
liml)s.  His  rduiplexion  was  sallow,  his  eyes  dark,  and 
his  hair  lilaek  and  niriy.  He  was  temperate  in  his 
hal)its,  dii^ni(ie(l  in  his  deportment,  and  thouj^h  possessed 
of  great  musenlar  jjower  and  most  undaunted  eourage, 
he  was,  ncvertlieless,  peaeefnl  in  \\\r;  disposition  and  >low 
to  anu'cr. 

Tlie  narrative  of  liis  ailventiires  while  ii  prisoner,  wa> 
undoubtedly  prepared  from  dictation.  It  is  an  intercstiui;-. 
romantic,  and  in  many  respects,  an  extraordinary  doeii- 
ment.  It  is  remarkable  for  the  series  of  misfortunes 
which  befell  its  hero,  and  as  a  record  of  malignant  spite 
and  savage  brutality  on  the  part  of  the  IJritish,  is  almost 
imparalleled  in  the  annals  of  history. 

It  was  originally  pul)lislied  in  New  London  in  1788,  and 
was  issued  in  pamphlet  form.  In  the  year  1797,  a  lengthy 
abstract  appeared  in  the  columns  of  Frencau's  "Time  Piece," 
a  paper  published  in  the  city  of  New  York.  In  Jnly,  18(50, 
the  entire   production   v  \s    printed   in   the    "Cape  Ann 


VI 


INTRODUCTION. 


Gazette,"  ami  tlio  doniaiKl  for  copies  liavinpj  far  exceeded 
the  edition,  it  was  reproduced  in  the  same  paper  in  the 
niontii  of  October  followiiiir.  We  will  further  state  that 
tJK"  present  edition  has  been  jn-inted  from  a  certified  cojn, 
whicli  tlirough  the  courtesy  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical 
Society,  we  were  permitted  to  have  uuide  from  one  of  tlu' 
original  tn\et<  now  iu  its  possession. 


i 


t  i 


M\ 


III 

III 


(/J 


uC 


fiX*ij&£^£tl 


NARRATIVE 


OF 


Remarkablp  Occurrences, 


In  tug  Life  of 


John    Blatchford, 

Of  Cape- Ann,  Commonwealth  of  Massachusdfs, 


CONTAINING, 


I    *l 


His  treatment  in  Xova- Scotia— the  Wesf  Indies— Greul- 
UrU,, in— France,  and  the  Easl-Indks,  as  a  prisoner  in 
the    late    war. 

Taken  from  his  own  mouth. 


►♦»- 


NEW   LONDON:     Printed    by  T.    Green. 
M,DCC,LXXX,VIII. 

IWiili  the  privilege  of  Copy-Kighil 


N  A  R  U  A  T  1  V  E . 


N  June,  1777,  I  .slii[)ped  myself  as 
cabin-boy  on  board  the  Continental 
ship  Hancock,  (i)  John  Manly, 
Esq.  (s)  eomniander,  being  then  in 
the  15th  year  of  my  age,  and  a 
few  days  after  sailed  on  a  cruize. 
Being  out  some  davs  we  fell  in  with 
and  took  the  Fox,  (j)  a  British  frigate 
of  28  guns,  after  an  engagement  of 
four  glasses.  Our  captain  sent  on  board 
the  prize  as  many  men  as  we  could  spare, 
and  both  ships  kept  company  several  days, 
till  on  the  Sth  of  July  we  fell  in  with  the  Britisli 
ships  Eainbow  (4)  of  40  guns,  and  Flora(.'.)  of  32  guns 


mmmm 


10 


NARRATIVE. 


h 


(who  liad  ill  company  the  brig  Cal)Ot(o)  of  lf>  guns 
wliich  liad  just  before  been  taken  by  the  MiUbril 
JJritish  frigate) (-)  by  whom  we  were  l)<)th  taken  (r) 
and  carried  into  Halifax. 

I  was  kej)!  prisoner  among  a  number  of  my 
countrymen,  on  board  the  Rainbow,  until  we  arrived 
at  Halifax.  (;■)  On  our  arrival  there  we  were  taken 
on  shore  and  eontined  in  a  prison  which  had  for- 
merly been  a  sugar  house,  (lo) — The  hirge  number 
of  i>risoner8  confined  in  this  lionse  (near  oOO) 
together  with  a  scanty  allowance  of  provisions, 
occasioned  it  to  be  very  sickly.  So  irksome  a  situa- 
ti  >n  put  us  upon  meditating  an  escape— but  we 
could  form  no  plan  that  was  likely  ti>  be  attended 
with  success,  till  George  Barnard,  who  had  i)een  a 
midshipman  in  the  Hancock,  and  who  was  eontined 
in  the  same  room  with  myself,  concerted  a  plan  to 
release  us,  which  was  to  be  eii'ected  by  diging  a 
small  passage  under  ground,  to  extend  to  a  garden 
that  was  behind  the  prison  and  without  the  prison 
wall,  where  we  might  make  a  breach  in  the  night 
with  safety,  and  jirobably  all  obtain  our  liberty. — 
This  plan  greatly  elated  our  spirits,  and  we  were  all 
anxious  to  proceed  immediately  in  executing  of  it. 


NARRATIVK. 


11 


Onr  cal)in8  were  built  one  above  anotlier,  from 
the  floor  to  the  height  of  a  man's  head  ;  and  mine 
being  one  of  those  bnilt  on  the  floor,  was  pitched 
upon  to  be  taken  up: — this  being  done,  six  of  ns 
agreed  to  do  tlie  work,  wliose  names  were.  George 
Barnard  and  William  Atkins  of  Boston,  (late  mid- 
shipmen in  the  Hancock),  Lemuel  Fowle  of  Cape- 
Ann,  Isaiah  Churchill  of  Plimouth,  Asa  Cole  of 
Weathersfield,  and  myself.  We  took  up  tlie  cabin 
and  cut  a  liole  in  the  plank  underneath. 

The  sugar-house  stood  upon  a  foundation  of  stone 
which  raised  the  floor  four  feet  above  the  ground, 
and  gave  us  sufiicient  room  to  work  and  ti*  cimvey 
away  the  dirt  that  we  dug  up. 

The  instruments  which  wi;  had  to  work  with  were 
one  scraper,  one  long  spike,  and  some  sharp  sticks ; 
with  these  we  proceeded  in  our  diflicult  uiulertaking. 
As  the  hole  was  too  small  to  admit  of  more  tluui  one 
person  to  work  at  a  time,  we  dug  by  turns  ten  or 
twelve  days,  and  caiTied  the  dirt  in  our  bosoms  to 
another  end  of  the  cellar ;  by  this  time  we  supposed 
we  had  dug  far  enough,  and  word  was  given  out 
among  the  prisoners  to  prepare  themselves  for  flight. 
But  while  we  were  in  the  midst  of  gaiety,  congratu- 


1-2 


NAURATIVK. 


latiiii;  eac'li  other  upon  our  happy  i)rospects,  we 
were  hasclv  betravcd  1)V  one  of  onr  own  couutrv- 
men  whoso  uiiinc  was  Knowles :  lie  hud  l)eon  a 
inldshipnian  on  hoard  tlic  Boston  frigate,  (n)  and 
was  put  on  boanl  tlie  Fox  when  she  was  taken  by 
the  llaueoek  and  IJoston. — Wliat  cttuhl  liave  induced 
him  to  commit  so  vile  an  action  cannot  bo  con- 
ceived, as  no  advantaii'o  couhl  accrue  to  him  from 
our  detection,  and  dcatii  was  the  certain  conso- 
«]uence  to  many  of  his  miserable  countrymen — that 
it  was  so.  is  all  I  can  say.  A  few  hours  before  we 
were  to  have  attempted  our  escape.  Knowles 
informed  the  sergeant  of  the  guard  (Mr.  Bible)  of 
our  design  ;  and  l)y  liis  treachery  lost  his  country 
the  lives  of  more  than  a  hundred  valuable  citizens — 
fathers  and  husbands — Avhose  return  wo\dd  have 
rejoiced  the  hearts  of  now  M'ceping  fatherless  chil- 
dren, and  called  forth  tears  of  joy  from  wives,  now 
helpless  and  disconsolate  widows — When  we  were 
discovered,  the  whole  guard  was  ordered  into  the 
room  :  and  being  informed  bv  Knowles  who  it  was 
that  performed  the  work,  wo  were  all  six  confined 
in  irons — the  hole  was  tilled  u{),  and  a  centinel  con- 
stantly placed  in  the  room,  to  prevent  any  further 


NAUllATIVK. 


13 


nttcinj)t. — We  were  all  kept  in  close  eonliiienient 
till  two  of  my  feliow-sutl'erers  BnriiiirU  and  Colo, 
died  ;  one  of  which  was  \n\t  into  the  gronnd  with 
his  irons  on  his  hands,  (u)  1  was  afterwards  i)er- 
niitted  to  walk  the  yard.  Bnt  as  my  irons  were  too 
snndl  and  cansed  n)y  1  nds  to  swell,  and  made 
them  very  sore,  I  asked  the  sergeant  to  take  them 
otf  and  give  me  larger  ones, — he  heing  a  person  of 
humanity,  and  comi)assluiu\ting  my  sufferings, 
changed  my  irons  for  others  that  were  larger,  and 
more  easy  to  my  hands. 

Knowles,  who  was  likewise  permitted  to  walk  the 
yard,  for  his  pertidy,  would  take  every  oppoitnnity 
to  insult  and  mortify  me,  hy  asking  me  whether  I 
wanted  to  run  away  again  i  and  when  I  was  going 
home,  &c  ( — Hid  daily  affronts,  together  with  his 
conduct  in  betraying  of  his  countrymen,  so  exas- 
perated me,  that  I  wished  for  nothing  more  than  for 
an  opportunity  to  convince  him  that  I  did  not  love 
him. — One  day  as  he  was  tantalizing  over  me  as 
usual,  1  suddenly  drew  one  hand  out  of  my  irons, 
flew  at  him  and  struck  him  in  the  face,  knocked  out 
two  or  three  of  his  teeth,  and  bruised  iiis  mouth 
very  much.     He  cried  out,  that  the  prisoner  had 


r.':i:r^t^^""*'  '^'"'^ 


4/1 


14 


NARKATIVE. 


got  l«j(  ».■>(.', — l)Ut  before  any  assistance  came,  1  had 
put  luv  liaud  again  into  the  liand-cufl",  and  was 
Avalkiuix  about  the  vard  as  usual.  AVhen  the  guard 
caini,',  tliey  demanded  of  ine  in  what  manner  1 
.struck  liim  ?     I  told  them  with  both  my  hands. 

They  then  tried  to  pull  my  hands  out,  but  could 
not.  and  concluded  it  must  be  as  I  had  said  ; — some 
lanii'lied  and  some  were  angrv — but  in  the  end  I 
Avas  ordered  again  into  prison.  Tlie  next  day  I  was 
sent  on  board  the  Greyhound  frigate,  (n)  capt.  Dick- 
son, (ui  bouiul  on  a  cruize  in  IJoston-bay.  After 
being  out  a  few  days,  we  met  witli  a  severe  gale  of 
wind,  ill  which  we  sprung  our  nuiin-mast  and 
received  considerable  other  damage.  We  were 
then  i»bliged  to  l)ear  away  for  the  West-Indies,  and 
on  our  passage  fell  in  with  and  took  a  brig  from 
Norwich,  laden  with  stock,  &c.  The  captain  and 
hands  were  put  on  board  a  Danish  vessel  the  same 
day.  We  carried  the  brig  into  Antigua,*  where  v.'o 
immediately  repaired,  and  were  ordered  in  company 
with  the  Vulture  sloop  of  war(i.'.)  to  convoy  a  fleet 
of  merchantmen  to  New- York.  We  left  the  fleet 
oft"  Sandy-IIook,  and  sailed  for  Philadelphia,  where 

*  One  of  the  West  India  ishuuls,  Leeward  Group. 


NARIiATIVE. 


15 


we  lay  till  we  were  made  u  packet  and  ordered  for 
Jfalif'ax  with  dispatches.  "We  had  a  quick  passage, 
ami  arrived  safe.  While  we  lay  in  the  road, 
admiral  Ijyron(ie)  arrived*  in  the  Princess  Eoyal  (it) 
from  England,  who  being  short  of  men,  and  we  hav- 
ing a  surplusage  for  a  packet,  many  of-  our  men 
were  ordered  on  board  the  Princess- Royal,  and 
among  them  most  of  our  boat's  crew. 

ISoon  after,  some  of  the  officers  going  on  shore,  I 
was  ordered  into  the  boat. — We  landed  at  the 
Governor's-sli]* — it  being  then  near  night.  This 
was  the  lirst  time  since  I  had  been  on  board  the 
Greyhound  that  I  had  had  an  opportunity  to  escape 
Irum  her,  as  they  were  before  this  particularly  care- 
ful of  me ;  therefore  I  was  determined  to  get  away 
then  if  possible,  and  to  effect  it  I  waded  round  a 
wharf  and  went  up  a  by-way,  (fearing  I  should 
meet  the  officers) :  I  soon  got  into  the  street  and 
made  the  best  of  my  way  towards  Irishtown,f  where 
I  expected  to  be  safe; — but  unfortunately  while 
running,  I  was  met  and  stopped  by  an  emissary, 

*  Admiral  liyron  arrived  at  Halifax,  August  26,  1778. 
+  The  southern  suburbs  of  Halifax,  cliietly  inhabited  by  the 
Irish  population. 


iJ^-^iCwiiw'j I  I  I'ti iii"^  '  1 1      7  I 


'WWAtm 


MtfSJB^' 


"A 


16 


NAUR  ATI  VK. 


who  doiiiaii(l«.!(l  of  me  my  business,  ami  where  I  was 
going?  1  endeavoured  to  deceive  him,  that  lie 
might  let  me  pass  ;  Init  it  was  in  vain — he  ordered 
me  to  follow  him  : — 

I  oft'ered  him  what  money  1  had  (about  ^  sterl.) 
to  let  me  go — this  too  was  ineft'ectual.  I  then  told 
him  I  was  an  American  and  nuiking  my  esea})e 
from  a  long  coniinenient,  and  was  determin'd  to 
pass,  and  took  up  a  stone,  lie  immediately  drew 
his  bayonet^'  and  ordered  me  to  go  back  with 
him. — 1  refused,  and  told  him  to  keep  his  distance. — 
lie  then  run  upon  me,  and  pushing  his  bayonet  into 
my  side,  it  came  out  near  my  navel ;  b\it  the  wound 
was  not  very  weep  ; — he  tlien  made  a  second  })ass, 
and  stal)b<id  me  throuiirh  mv  iirm  :  he  was  about  to 
stab  me  a  third  time,  when  1  struck  him  with  the 
stone  and  knocked  him  down.  1  then  run,  but  the 
guard  wliich  had  been  alarmed,  immediately  took 
me,  and  carried  me  before  the  governor  (Hughes)  (i-) 
where   1   understood   the   man   was  dead.     1  was 

♦Bayonets  were  invented  at  IJayonne,  in  France,  IGTO,  and 
roceivuil  tlieir  nanie  from  the  town  where  they  were  invented. 
They  were  lirst  used  by  the  En^dish,  Sept.  24,  ICDiJ,  and  super- 
seded the  piicc  completely  under  "William  III. 


'■■^ 


mmtSitmmimmfmm 


NARRATIVK 


17 


tlirciitciicfl  with  every  kind  of  deatli,  iuul  ordered 
out  of  tlie  <!^overiior'tt  presence. 

Wliilst  in  conlinenient  I  wfts  informed  by  a  young 
gentleman  (who  was  to  be  sent  to  Kngland  and 
tried  for  killing  a  man  in  a  duel)  that  it  was  not  in 
the  ]>ower  of  the  Governor  to  try  me;  but  that  I 
should  be  sent  to  E?igland  ;  which  I  found  to  be 
true.  The  next  day  I  was  sent  on  boai'd  the  Grey- 
houiul,  the  ship  I  had  run  from,  and  we  sailed  for 
England.  Oin*  captain  being  a  hunuine  man, 
ordere<l  my  irons  off,  a  few  days  after  we  sailed,  and 
permitted  me  to  do  duty  as  formerly.  Being  out 
thirteen  days  we  spoke  the  Hazard  (i-)  sloop  of  war, 
whu  informed  that  the  French  fleet  was  then  cruising 
in  the  English  channel :  (s») — for  this  reason  avc  put 
into  C'ork,  and  the  dispatches  were  forwarded  to 
Enirhuid. — While  Ave  lav  in  the  Cove  of  Cork,*  I 
jumped  t)verb(>ard,  with  intention  of  getting  away; 
l»ut  unfortunately  I  was  discovered  and  tired  at  by 
the  marines :  the  boat  was  immediately  sent  after 

*  A  scajxn-t  town  in  Ireland,  ncnv  called  (^iieenstowa — so 
named  by  the  fsycophuntic  inhabitants  of  the  place,  in  honor  of 
the  Qnecn's  visit  tiiero  in  1849.  The  old  clas<i(;  name  was 
infinitely  ]»referable. 


n 


18 


NARUATIVE. 


me,  took  mc  wp  and  carried  me  on  Ix^ard  again. 
At  tliis  time  almost  all  the  officers  were  on  sliore. 
and  tlic  ship  was  left  in  charge  of  the  saiHng  nuistt-r. 
one  Driiunnond,  wlio  heat  nie  most  eriu'llv  : — to  get 
ont  of  his  way  I  run  forward — lie  followed  nie,  and 
as  I  Avas  running  hack  he  came  np  with  me  and 
threw  me  down  the  nuiinhold."-  The  fall,  together 
with  the  heating,  was  so  severe  that  I  was  deitrived 
of  my  senses  for  a  considerahle  time ;  a\  hen  I 
recovered  them  I  found  myself  in  the  carpenter's 
hirth,  placed  upon  some  old  canvass,  hetween  two 
chests,  having  my  right  thigh,  leg  and  arm  hroken, 
and  several  parts  of  my  hody  severely  hrnised. 
In  this  situation  I  lay  eighteen  days,  till  our 
officers,  (who  had  hcen  on  husiness  to  Duhlin) 
came  on  board.  The  captain  enquired  for  the 
prisoner,  and  being  informed  of  my  situation,  came 
down  with  the  doctor  to  set  my  bones,  but  lind- 
ing  them  callussed  they  concluded  not  to  meddle 
with  me. 

The  ship  lay  at  Cork  till  the  French  licet  left  the 

*  Tlifit  part  of  a  sliip  just  before  the  main  laa^t,  ami  wliicii 
froiiorally  contained  the  fresh  water  and  beer  t'ov  tbe  use  of  the 
ship's  cuni[iany. 


NABRAIIVK. 


19 


cliaiiiiel,  and  tlioii  sailed  I'or  Spirliond  J'' — On  onr 
arrival  there  I  wa&  sent  in  irons  on  board  the  Prin- 
ce.>s-Amelui,{2i)  and  the  next  day  was  earried  on 
board  tlic  Britannia  (jj)  in  Portsinonthf  harbour,  to 
be  tried  before  Sir  Thonnis  Pye,  (■-•»)  hml  hiifli 
admiral  of  England,  and  ])resident  of  the  conrt- 
nuirtial. 

Before  the  officers  had  collected,  I  was  jiut  under 
the  care  of  a  centinel ;  and  the  seamen  and  women 
who  came  on  board  compassionated  my  ^^utferings, 

which  rather  heightened  than  diminished  niv  dis- 
tress.  I  was  sitting  under  the  awning,  almost  over- 
powered by  the  reflection  of  my  unhappy  situation, 
every  moment  ex})ecting  to  be  summoned  tor  my 
trial,  when  1  heard  soniebody  enquiring  for  the 
prisoner — supposing  it  to  be  an  officer,  I  rose  up 
and  answered,  that  1  was  there.  The  gentleman 
eamo  to  me,  told  me  to  be  of  good  chear,  and  taking 
out  a  bottle  of  cordial  bid  me  driidc,  which  I  did  : — 

*  A  celebrated  roadsteail  oit'  the  sontliern  coast  of  Eiigliiiul, 
<me  of  the  i)rinci|iiil  reiulezvoiis  of  the  ]5ritish  iiavv,  so  si.enro 
tVoiii  all  winds  except  the  >S.  E.,  as  to  have  been  termed  by 
sailors  *'  the  king's  bed-chamber." 

t  A  fortified  seajjort  town,  and  the  ])rinciiial  naval  station 
of  England. 


20 


NARRATIVK. 


hi 


lie  then  enquired  where  I  behmged — 1  informed 
liim — he  asked  uie  it"  I  liad  jiarents  living,  and  if  I 
liad  any  friends  in  England  ? — I  answered  I  had 
neither:  he  then  assured  me  he  was  my  friend,  and 
would  render  mo  all  the  assistanee  in  his  power. — 
lie  then  enquired  of  me  every  circumstance  rehitive 
to  my  fray  with  the  man  at  Halifax,  for  wliose 
death  I  was  now  to  be  tried  ; — and  instructed  me 
what  to  say  on  my  trial, — told  me  if  it  was  asked  in 
court  "  if  I  had  any  friend  or  attorney  to  speak  for 
jne,"  to  look  at  such  a  corner  of  the  state-room, 
where  i  siu.uld  see  him,  ar.d  to  answer  the  court 
"  Yes,  Mr.  Thomas,"  for  that  was  the  gentleman's 
name.  All  this  was  spoken  in  so  friendly  a  manner, 
that  I  could  i.ot  distrust  him,  although  what  he  had 
instructed  nie  to  say,  appeared  to  me,  v;ould  be 
against  myself. 

The  court  having  assembled,  I  was  called  in  and 
examineil  partly,  and  on  being  asked  "  If  I  had  any 
friend  to  speak  in  my  behalf,"  I  looked  round,  and 
saw  !Mr.  Thonnvs,  and  answered,  '"Yes,  Mr.  Thomas," 
who  then  ciMne  fo'-v, aid. — ^The  court  asked  him  what 
he  had  to  say  in  behalf  of  the  prisoner  I — On  which 
he  desired  thein  to  question  the  prisoner,  and  if  he 


-^rnrnnmm 


ill. 


NAKKAfl'^'''- 


21 


I 


could  not  answer  sufficiently,  ho  vvonUl  sl.ealc  for 
M  wastl,ena.keai.-In>canttoldU.heman 

Answered  as  instructed   (.W  lot,,)  .^.J  ^ 

The  court    see.ned    surp-'d  and  asked    n,e  tl. 

question  again,  and  I  again  answered,  ^c.     I     • 

then  asked  if  I  should  have  hurt  the  ,na    1  ad  h 

not  molested  n,e?     I  "I'l.ed,  ^o.-I    .>a» 
e,nanyotUer,nestions,andi.-Iwasnotsor 

I  „ad   undertaken   in   the   rche.lion  ag,..       0 
K„„i_Mr.  Thonnvs  then  spoke,  and  sawl  .t 
;::.a,,fairtoa.kn,esucha.no^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
occasion;  and  tl..consrd..ng.)-t-^^^^^ 

'-:;  'i::;rT::^^  ^-^^  -  <-» 

:-:r:^tldedwi.hcen..ngonr^^^ 

;:;rir:;rr  ::;:■:  A.. 

"  A.,   to  his   arguuicnts.— i  ^\fi^ 

™  ::rtV::ir"/a:J -:.  .Hh  pa-> 

,o    know  n.y  dostiny.-This  was   re- 
in,i>at.ence   to    1>"»^^   J  ,^^^  ^  ^,„,  „„Ued 

that   1  ^NaB  „,,  oMvav.     I  cannot  express 

exchanged  as  a  pnsonei  ot  ANai. 


^>0 


NAURATIVE. 


my  tVi'lings  on  this  occasion,  and  no  one  can 
know  tlieni,  but  l)y  experiencing  the  same  reverse 
of  fortnni'. 

I  inniiediately  found  my  benetactor  and  returned 
liini  thanks,  witli  gratitude  for  Ids  friendly  and 
hencvuU'ut  assistance.  Mr.  Thomas  then  asked  the 
liberty  of  taking  mo  on  shore  witli  him,  engaging 
to  return  me  the  next  day — and  liberty  was  granted 
him — lie  tnid  a  vounii:  lad,  his  son,  to  walk  with 
me  about  Portsmouth,  and  shew  me  the  town,  and 
then  lo  cari'v  me  home  to  his  house ;  which  he  did. 
In  the  evening  Mr.  Thomas  came  into  the  kitchin 
and  asked  me  to  walk  into  the  parlour,  to  satisfy 
the  curi(i>iry  of  some  ladies,  who  had  never  seen  a 
Yankee,  as  they  called  me :  I  went  in,  and  they 
oeemed  greatly  surprized  to  see  me  look  like  ar 
Englishman  ;  they  said  they  M'ere  sure  I  was  no 
Yankee,  but  like  themselves.  The  idea  ^hey  Lad 
formed  of  the  Amei'icans  Avas  nearly  the  same  as  we 
have  of  the  natives  of  this  country.  When  the 
ladies  had  satisfied  their  curiosity,  Mr.  Thomas  put 
a  guinea  into  his  hat,  and  carrying  it  round  asked 
the  ladies  to  contribute  for  the  poor  Yankee  :  he 
then  gave  me  the  money,  (about  four  guineas.) 


ma 


IIUB""WMBMC 


^HnNMiii>^ '•^■'i 


NAKKA'I  IVE. 


23 


Tlie  next  morning  I  was  sent  on  board  the 
Piinccss-Amelia,  wliere  I  spent  a  joyful  day; 
expecting  soon  to  be  sent  on  board  the  Greylionnd, 
M-liicli  was  bound  to  Halifax. 

In  the  evening  I  heard  a  boat  coming  along-side, 
and  supposing  it  to  belong  to  the  Greyhound,  (as 
the  peo[)le  in  the  boat  enquired  for  me) — I  made 
haste  and  jumped  into  the  boat;  but  to  my  extreme 
disappointment  and  grief,  I  was  carried  on  board 
an  Indiaman,  and  immediately  put  down  into  the 
run,*  where  I  was  confined  seven  days.  I  begged 
that  T  might  send  Avord  on  shore  to  my  former 
benefactor,  and  inform  him  of  my  situation,  but 
they  would  not  grant  it.  On  the  seventh  day, 
1  heard  the  boatswain  pipe  all  hands,  and  about 
noon  1  was  called  up  on  deck,  when  I  found 
myself  on  board  the  Princes8-Eoyal(24)  indiaman, 
captain  Eobert  Kerr ; — we  were  then  oif  the 
Isle  of  "Wight,  bound  to  the  East-Indies,  m  com- 
pany with  six  others,  viz.  the  Ceres,  Ilawke, 
Prince,   Sandwich,  Walpole    and   True-Briton,  all 

*  Tlio  niii  of  a  sliip  is  t!mt  part  of  lier  hull  under  water 
wliicii  comes  narrower  by  iloytreus  from  tlio  floor  timbers 
U)  tiic  sterniiosts. 


24 


NARRATIVE. 


large  ships,  (.5)  belonging  to  the  East-India  com- 
pany. («) 

Our  captain  told  me,  if  I  behaved  well  and  did 
my  duty,  I  should  receive  as  good  usage  as  any  man 
on  board  : — this  gave  me  gveat  encouragement.  1 
now  found  my  destiny  was  fixed— that  whatever  1 
could  do,  would  not  in  the  least  alter  my  situation, 
and  therefore  was  determined  to  do  the  best  I  could, 
and  mak.;  myself  as  contented  as  my  unfortunate 
situation  would  admit. 

After  being  on  board  several  days,  I  found  there 
were  in  the  Princess-lloyal,  eighty-«"\vo  Americans, 
all  destined  to  the  East-Indies,  for  being  what  they 
called  liebels.  (n) 

We  had  a  passage  of  seventeen  weeks  to  St. 
Helena,  where  we  put  in  and  landed  part  of  our 
cargo,  (which  consisted  wholly  of  provisions),  and 
some  of  the  soldiers  who  were  brought  out  for  that 
island.  The  ship  lay  here  about  three  weeks ;  we 
then  sailed  for  Batavia* — and  on  the  passage 
touched   at   the   Cape  of  Good-lIope,f  where  we 

*  Cajiital  and  scaiiort  town  of  the  island  of  .lava. 
t  Tlie  V:\\>c  of  Good  Hope  was  lirst  discovered  by  Bartliolo- 
niew  Diaz,   lis6— first  doubled   liy  Vasoo  do  Gania,  1497 — 


mmmmmammBSm 


w  lUi^iiunt. 


NAUR-^TIVE. 


26 


';,„„„a-wc  took  n.  son>c  provisions  an.,  neccs- 
«uL  and  set  sail  for  Batavia,  wl.eve  we  arnvcd  n 
rweeta.    IIerewep,u-c„aseda,av,e<iua„t,tyof 
„m.ck  ami  .-cnained  a  eonsideraUo  tunc. 

We  the,,  sailed  for  Beucoolou,*  iu  tl..-'  -'-«>  »' 
S,.,„at,.ia,  and  after  a  passage  of  a..n,t  si.  wee^ 

„,,,ved  there,  (this  was  in  Jnne  l,bO;.     A      is 
place  the  Americans  were  all  earr,ea  on  shor      an 

f„„ndthatIwasnol.,ngcr.„ren,amo„«n    th 

.hi,,,  but  conden>ncd  to  serve  as  a  soldnn    o,  hv 
; -loitered  to  hind  myself  to  the  captan,  to, 

C  years,  or  any  longer  term,  if  I. ..^--o, 
hoard  the  ship  :-hc  told  n,e  it  was  nn,,o^^^^^^^^^ 
,„„  to  he  released  fron,  acting  as  a  sold,e,,  unless  1 
dd  pay  fifty  pounds  sterling.     As  I  was  nnahl 
hi  ,  I  was  obliged  to  go  through  the  numnal 
Ireise;..,  the  other  pris,.ncrs;anK.ngwo^^^^^^ 

,vas  Wiliian,  Kandall  of  Bost,.n,  and  Josud,    olg.e, 
.     :;Kl,tuekct,  both  yonng  n,en,  and  one  of  then,  an 


■tmoMmi^ilitS'' 


20 


N  A  UU  ATIVK. 


old  sliip-mate  of  niinu ; — these  two  ami  myself 
agreed  to  behave  as  ignorant  and  aukward  as  \>o>- 
sible  ;  and  what  motions  we  learned  u!ie  day  we 
were  to  forget  the  next, — We  imrsued  this  conduct 
near  a  fortnight,  and  were  beaten  every  day  by  the 
drill-sergeant,  who  exercised  us;  and  wlien  he  found 
we  were  determined  in  our  obstinaev,  and  that  it 
was  not  possible  for  him  to  learn  us  anything,  we 
were  all  three  sent  into  the  pepper  gardens  belong- 
ing to  the  East-India  company,  and  continued 
picking  peppers  from  morning  till  night,  and 
allowed  but  two  scantv  meals  a  dav; — this,  together 
with  the  amazing  heat  of  the  sun,  (the  island  lying 
\inder  the  ecpiator)  was  too  much  for  an  American 
constitution,  miused  to  a  hot  climate,  and  we 
expected  that  we  should  soon  end  our  misery  and 
our  lives; — but  Providence  still  preserved  us  for 
greater  hardships.* 


*  Suniatria  is  an  island  of  the  Indian  ocean,  situated  hetwceii 
03  and  lii4  dejrrces  of  East  longitude,  and  between  5  degrees 
and  30  minutes  Nortli  and  5  degrees  and  3it  minutes  Suutii 
latitude;  extending  from  X.  "\V.  to  S.  E.  'J<t(i  miks  loui.',  and 
from  100  to  150  broad,  separated  from  tiie  ciintinunt  of  tlie 
Further  India  by  the  straits  of  Malacea  on  the  X.  E.  and  from 
the  island  of  Java  bv  the  straits  (»f  Sunda  on  the  S.  E.     Tiiis 


nTCBRSHRH 


^•giWIIiiWMi 


NARRATIVE. 


27 


Tlie  Americans  died  daily  with  lieat  and  hard  tare, 
whidi  determined  my  two  companions  and  myself 
in  an  endeavour  to  make  our  escape. — AVe  liad  been 
in  the  pepper  gardens  four  months  when  an  oppor- 
tunity oft'ered,  and  we  resolved  ui)on  tryini;  our 
fortune ; — Folgier,  Randall  and  myself  sat  out  M-ith 
an  intention  of  reacliinj;  Croy,  (a  small  harbour 
wliere  the  Dutch  often  touch  at  to  water)  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  island. — Folgier  had  by  souie 
means  got  a  bayonet,  which  he  fixed  on  tlie  end  of 
a  sti(;k — Tlandall  and  myself  had  nothing  but  staves, 
which  were  all  the  weapons  wo  carried  with  us. 
We  ]>ro\"ided  ourselves  with  fire-works*  for  our 
journey,  which  we  pursued  unmoleste<l  till  the 
fourth  day  just  at  night,  when  we  heard  a  rustling 
in  the  bushes  and  discovered  nine  seapoys,  (country- 
born  soldiers  in  the  British  service)  who  suddenly 
rushed  out  upon  us. 

Folgier  being  the  most  resolute  of  us,  run  at  one 

island  lying  under  the  equator,  and  the  low  grounds  near  the 
sea-coast  being  floodeil  one-halt'  of  tlie  year,  is  very  unhealth- 
ful.  The  natives  build  most  of  their  iiouses  upon  pilhirs,  to 
secure  them  against  the  annual  inundations. 

(This  note  was  in  the  origin.il  edition. — Ed.) 

*  Tinder  box  and  accompaniments  for  striking  tire. 


28 


NAKKATIVK. 


of  tlicni  and  pushed  his  bayonet  tlirougli  lli^^  body 
into  a  tree  ;  Randall  knocked  down  another  ; — bnt 
they  overpowered  us,  bound  us,  and  can-ied  us  back 
to  the  fort,  which  wo  readied  in  one  day  and  lialf, 
tliongh  we  had  been  four  days  travelling  lioin  it, 
owing  to  the  circle  we  made  by  going  round  tlie 
shore ;  and  they  came  across  tlie  woods,  being 
acquainted  with  the  way.  Immediately  on  our 
arrival  at  tlie  fort  the  governor*  called  a  court- 
martial,  to  have  us  tried. — We  were  suon  all  con- 
demned to  be  shot  the  next  morning  at  seven 
o'clock,  and  ordered  to  be  sent  into  the  dungeon 
and  confined  in  irons,  where  we  were  attended  by 
an  adjutant  who  brought  a  priest  with  him  to  pray 
and  co.iverse  with  us; — but  Folgier,  who  hated  tlie 
name  and  sight  of  an  Englishman,  desired  that  we 
might  be  left  alone,  and  not  be  troubled  with  any 
company  : — the  clergyman  reprimanded  him,  and 
told  him  he  made  verv  light  of  his  situation,  on 

I/O  7 

supposition  that  he  would  be  reprieved ;  but  if  he 
expected  it  he  deceived  himself: — Folgier  still  per- 
sisted in  the  clergyman's  leaving  of  us,  if  be  would 

*  Tlie   ^roveriior  of  Fort   Marlboroii<.'li   at   this    time   was 
AVilliam  IWntY,  Es(j.     IIo  lidd  tlic  position  from  1772  to  178:5. 


1 ' 


NAKUATIVK. 


^f> 


liave  us  make  our  peace  -witli  God  ;  tor,  said  lie,  the 
rii^lit  of  En<,dislimen,  from  whom  we  liave  received 
such  treatineiit,  is  more  disagreeable  than  the  evil 
spirits  of  whom  you  have  spoken  : — that  if  he  could 
have  his  choice,  he  would  choose  death  in  preference 
to  life,  if  he  must  have  it  on  conditions  of  such  bar- 
barous usage  as  he  had  received  from  their  hands  ; 
and  that  the  thoughts  of  death  did  not  seem  so 
hideous  to  him  as  his  past  sufferings.  He  visited 
us  again  about  midnight,  but  finding  his  company 
was  not  acceptable,  he  soon  left  us  to  our  own 
melancholy  reflections. 

Before  sun-rise  we  lieard  the  drums  beat,  aiul 
soon  after  heard  the  direful  noise  of  the  door  ijrating 
on  its  iron  hinges — we  were  all  taken  out,  oui"  irons 
taken  off,  and  we  conducted  by  a  strong  guard  of 
soldiers  to  the  parade,  surrounded  by  a  circle  of 
armed  men,  and  led  into  the  midst  of  them,  where 
three  wiiite  coffins  were  placed  by  our  side : — silence 
was  then  connnanded,  and  the  adjutant  taking  a 
paper  out  of  his  pocket  read  our  sentence : — and 
now  I  cannot  describe  my  feelings  upon  this  occa- 
sion, nor  can  it  be  felt  by  any  one  but  those  who 
have  experienced  some  remarkable  deliverance  froni 


30 


NAUKATIVK. 


the  <;;riiu  luintl  of  doiitli,  when  surruuiuled  on  all 
sideH,  iiiid  nothing;  but  death  expected  from  every 
quarter,  and  by  Divine  Providence  there  is  some 
way  found  out  for  escape — so  it  seeme<l  to  mo  when 
the  adjutant  pidled  out  another  paper  from  his 
pocket  and  read,  "  that  the  <jfovcrnor  and  council, 
in  Consideration  of  the  youth  of  Randall  and  myself, 
(supposing  us  to  be  led  on  by  Folgier,  who  was  the 
eldest)  thought  fit  to  pardon  us  from  death,  and 
that  instead  we  were  to  receive  eight  hundred  lashes 
each ;" — although  this  last  sentence  ai)peared  terrible 
to  me,  yet  in  comparison  with  death,  it  seemed  to 
be  light. — Poor  Folgier  was  sliot  in  our  jtresence — 
previous  to  which  we  were  told  we  might  go  and 
converse  with  him — Randall  went  and  talked  with 
him  first,  and  after  him  I  went  up  to  take  my  leave, 
but  mv  feelings  were  such  at  the  time  that  I  had 
not  power  to  utter  a  single  word  to  my  departing 
friend,  Avho  seemed  as  undaunted  and  seomingly  as 
willing  to  die  as  I  was  willing  to  be  released — and 
told  me  not  to  forget  tlie  promises  we  had  formerly 
made  each  other,  which  was,  to  embrace  the  first 
opportunity  to  escape : — we  parted,  and  he  was 
immediately  after  shot  dead.     We  were  next  taken 


NAUKATIVE. 


31 


and  tied  ;  and  the  adjutant  brouglit  a  sniall  whij) 
made  of  cotton,  which  consisted  of  a  nnnd)er  of 
etrands  and  kivotted  at  the  ends ;  hut  these  knots 
were  all  cut  oft'  hy  the  adjutant  before  the  druuuner 
took  it,  which  made  it  not  worse  than  to  have  heen 
whipt  with  cotton  yarn.  After  beinj;  whij)ped  800 
lashes  we  were  sent  to  the  company  ]jos[)ital,  where 
we  had  heen  ahout  three  weeks,  when  Randall  told 
nie  he  intended  very  soon  t(t  make  his  escape: — 
this  somewhat  surprized  me,  as  I  had  lost  all  hopes  of 
regaining  my  lioerty,  and  suj)po8ed  he  ha«l : — I  told 
him  I  had  hoped  he  would  never  mention  it  again  ; 
hut  however,  if  that  was  his  design  1  would  accom- 
pany him.  He  advised  me,  (if  I  was  fearful)  to 
tarry  behind  ; — but  finding  he  was  determined  on 
going,  I  resolved  to  run  the  risque  once  more  ;  and 
as  we  were  then  in  the  hospital  we  were  not 
suspected  of  such  a  design. 

Having  provided  ourselves  with  fire-works  and 
knives,  about  the  first  of  December  1780,  we  sat 
out,  with  intention  of  reaching  the  Dutch  settlement 
of  Croy,  which  is  but  about  two  or  three  hundred 
miles  distance  upon  a  direct  line,  but  as  we  were 
obliged  to  travel  along  the  sea  coast,  (fearing  to 


r 

If!' 


32 


NARKATIVK. 


risque  the  nearest  way)  it  was  a  journey  of  eight 
hundred  miles.  "We  took  each  a  stick  and  hung 
round  our  neck,  and  every  day  cut  a  notch,  Avhich 
was  the  nietliod  we  took  to  keep  time. — In  this 
manner  we  travelled,  living  on  fruit,  turtle-eggs 
and  some  turtle,  which  we  cooked  every  night  with 
the  fire  we  huilt  to  sleep  by  to  secure  us  from  wild 
beasts — they  being  here  in  great  plenty,  such  as 
buffaloes,  tigers,  jackana])es,  leopards,  lions,  baboons 
and  nionkies.  On  the  30th  day  of  our  travelling 
we  met  with  nothing  we  could  eat,  and  found  no 
water — at  night  we  found  some  fruit  which  appeared 
to  the  eye  to  be  very  delicious,  (diiferent  from  any 
we  had  seen  in  our  travel)  it  resembled  a  fniit 
which  grows  in  the  West-Indies,  called  n  Jack,  (u-) 
about  the  size  of  an  orange: — we  being  very  dry 
and  hungry  inimediately  gatlnu-ed  some  of  this 
fruit — but  finding  it  of  a  sweet  sickish  taste  I  eat 
but  t\vi>- -Randall  eat  freely  :— in  the  evening  we 
found  we  were  jioisoned :  I  was  sick  and  puked 
considerably: — Randall  was  sick  and  began  to  swell 
all  round  his  body ;  he  grew  worse  all  night,  but 
continued  to  have  his  senses  till  the  next  day,  wlien 
he  died,  and  left  n)e  to  mourn  my  greater  wretched- 


NABBATIVE. 


33 


ness ,— more  than  400  miles  from  any  settlement- 
no  companion— the  wide  ocean  on  one  side  and  a 
prowling  wilderness  on  the  other— liable  to  many 
l<inds  of  deaths,  more  terrible  than  being  shot.     I 
laid  down  by  Randall's  body,  wishing  if  possible 
that  he  might  return  and  tell  me  what  course  to 
take.— My  thoughts  almost  distracted  mo,  so  tiiat  I 
was  unable  to  do  anything  till  the  next  day;  during 
all  which  time  I  continued  by  the  side  of  Tlandall— 
I  then  got  up  and  made  a  hole  in  the  sand  and 

buried  him. 

I  now  continued  my  journey  as  well  as  my  weak 
state  of  body  would  permit ;— the  weather  being  at 
this  time  extreme  hot  and  rainy. -I  frequently  lay 
down   and   would   wish    that  1   might    never  rise 
again  :-despair  had  almost  wholly  possessed  me ; 
and  sometimes  in  a  kind  of  delirium  would  fancy  I 
heard  my  mother's  voice,  and  my  friends  callhig 
me,  ami  I  would  answer  them  :— at  other  times  my 
wild  imagination  would  paint  to  my  view  scenes 
which  I  was  well  acquainted  with,  then  supposing 
myself   near   home  I   would   run   as    fast    as    my 
feeble  legs  could  carry  me  :-frequently  I  fancied 
that  I  heard  dogs  bark,  men  cutting  wood,  and 


84 


NARRATIVK. 


every  noise  which  I  have  heard  in  my  native 
country.  ^ 

One  dav  as  I  was  travelling,  a  small  doix,  as  I 
thoui^ht  it  to  be,  came  fawninjx  round  me  and 
followed  me,  but  I  soon  discovered  it  to  bo  a  young 
lion  ; — I  supposed  that  its  dam  must  be  nigh,  and 
therefore  run  ;  it  followed  me  sometime  and  then 
left  me  ;  I  proceeded  on,  but  had  not  got  far  from 
it  before  it  began  to  cry  ;  I  looked  round  and  saw  a 
lioness  makin^  towards  it — she  veiled  most  fright- 
fully,  which  greatly  terrified  mo ;  but  she  laid  down 
somcthiuf;  from  her  mouth  for  her  vouui;  one,  and 
then  with  another  yell  turned  and  went  otf  from  me. 

Some  days  after,  I  was  travelling  by  the  edge  of  a 
woods,  (which  from  its  appearance  had  felt  severely 
the  effects  of  a  tornado  or  hurricane,  the  trees  being 
all  torn  up  by  the  roots)  and  I  heard  a  cracking 
noise  in  the  bushes — looking  about  I  saw  a  mon- 
strous large  tiger  making  slowly  towards  me,  which 
frightened  me  exceedingly ;  when  he  had  api)roached 
within  a  few  rods  of  me,  in  my  surprize  I  suddenly 
lifted  up  my  hands  and  hollowed  very  loud  :  this 
sudden  noise  frightened  him,  seemingly  as  much  as 
I  had  been,  and  he  innnediately  turned  and  run 


NARR.VIIVE. 


35 


into  the  woodp!,  and  I  saw  liitn  no  more.  After  tliis 
I  continued  travellini'  on  witliout  inolef*tation,  oiilv 
from  tlie  iiionkies,  who  wore  here  so  plenty  that 
oftentimes  I  saw  them  in  lari^e  droves:  sometimes  I 
run  from  them  as  if  afraid  of  them;  they  would  then 
follow,  grin  and  chatter  at  me,  and  when  they  got 
near  I  would  turn,  and  they  woidd  run  l)ack  into  the 
woods,  and  climb  the  trees  to  get  out  of  mv  wav. 

It  was  now  fifteen  weeks  since  I  had  left  the  hos- 
pital— I  had  travelled  most  all  the  day  witliout  any 
water,  and  began  to  be  verv  thirstv,  when  I  heard 
the  sound  of  running  water,  as  it  were  duwu  a  fall 
of  rocks — ^^I  had  heard  it  a  considerable  time,  and  at 
last  began  to  suspect  it  was  nothing  but  imaginary, 
as  many  other  noises  I  bad  before  tliought  to  have 
beard.  I  however  wont  on  as  fast  as  I  could,  and 
at  length  discovered  a  brook — on  approaching  of  it 
1  was  not  a  little  surprized  and  rejoiced  at  the 
sight  of  a  Female  Indian,  who  was  fishing  at  the 
brook  : — she  had  no  other  dress  on  than  that  which 
mother  nature  aftbrds  impartially  to  all  her  children, 
except  a  small  cloth  which  she  wore  round  her 
waist, — I  knew  not  how  to  address  myself  to  her: — 
I  was  afraid  if  I  spoke  she  would  rai'— and  there- 


36 


NAKBATIVE. 


fore  I  made  a  small  noise ;  upon  which  she  looked 
round  and,  seeing  me,  run  across  the  brook,  seem- 
inarlv  much  frii'litened,  leaving  her  fishing-line.  I 
went  up  to  her  basket  which  contained  li\e  or  six 
fish  that  looked  much  like  our  trout.  I  took  up  the 
basket  and  attempted  to  wade  across  where  she  had 
passed,  but  was  too  weak  to  wade  across  in  that 
place,  and  went  further  up  the  stream,  where  I 
passed  over — and  then  looking  for  the  Indian  woman 
I  saw  her  at  some  distance  behind  a  large  cocoa-imt 
tree  : — I  Avalked  towards  her,  but  dare  not  k'jep  my 
e3'es  steadily  upon  her  lest  she  should  run  from  me 
as  she  did  before. — I  called  to  her  in  English  ;  and 
she  answered  in  her  own  tongue,  which  I  could  not 
understand.  I  then  called  to  her  in  the  Malays, 
which  I  understood  a  little  of: — she  answered  me 
in  a  kind  of  surprize,  and  asked  me  in  the  name  of 
Ocrum  Footee  (the  name  of  their  god)  from  whence 
I  came,  and  where  I  was  going? — I  answered  her 
as  well  as  I  could  in  the  Melais,  that  I  was  from 
Fort  Marlborough,*  and  going  to  Croy — that  I  was 

*  A  Factory  which  bcloiiged  to  tlie  Hritish  East  India  Co.  on 
tlie  western  coast  of  the  Island  of  Sumatra,  3  miles  east  of 
Bencoolen. 


XAUUATIVi:, 


37 


making  my  escape  from  the  English,  by  whom  1 
had  been  taken  in  w.ir. — She  told  me  that  she  had 
been  taken  by  the  Malays  some  years  before — for 
that  the  two  nations  were  always  at  war ;  and  that 
she  had  been  kept  as  a  slave  among  them  three 
years,  and  was  then  retaken  by  her  countrymen. 
Whilst  we  were  talki:  -^  together  slie  appeared  to  be 
very  shy,  and  I  durst  not  go  nearer  than  a  rod 
to  her,  lest  she  should  run  from  me.  She  said  that 
Croy,  the  place  I  was  bound  to,  was  about  three 
miles  distance — tliat  if  I  would  follow  her  she 
would  conduct  me  to  her  countrymen  wlio  were  but 
a  small  distance  oft*. — 1  begged  her  to  plead  with  her 
countrymen  '•  S])are  my  life, — she  said  she  would, 
and  assured  me  that  if  I  behaved  well  I  should  not 
be  hurt.  She  then  conducted  me  to  a  small  village, 
consisting  of  huts  or  wigwams.  When  we  arrived 
at  the  village,  the  children  that  saw  nv)  ^rcre 
frightened  and  run  away  from  me — and  the  women 
expressed  a  great  deal  of  fear,  and  kept  at  a  dis- 
tance— but  my  guide  called  to  them  and  told  them 
not  to  be  afraid,  for  that  I  was  not  come  to  hurt 
them,  and  then  informed  them  from  whence  I  came, 
and  that  I  was  going  to  Croy. 


i 


on 


NAUUATIVE. 


I  told  my  guide  that  I  was  very  hungry— and  she 
^ent  tlK'  cliildren  for  sonietliing  for  uie  to  cat ;— they 
came  and  brought  nie  little  round  balk  oi  hoiled 
rice ;  and  they  not  daring  to  come  nigh,  threw  them 
to  me— these  I  picked  up  and  eat ;  afterwards  a 
woman  brought  some  rice  and  goats  milk  in  a  copper 
bason,  and  setting  it  on  the  ground,  made  signs  for 
me  to  take  it  up  and  eat  it,  which  I  did,  and  then 
put  the  bason  down  again ;  they  then  poked  away 
the  bason  with  a  stick,  battered  it  with  stones,  and 
making  a  hole  in  the  ground  buried  it.     After  that 
they  conducted  nie  to  a  small  hut,  and  told  me  to 
tarry  there  till  the  morning,  when  they  would  con- 
duct me  to  the  harbour.     I  had  but  little  sleep  that 
niglit,  and  was  up  several  times  to  look  out,  and  saw- 
two  or  three  Indians  at  a  little  distance  from  the 
hut,  who  I  suppose  were  placed  there  to  watch  me. 
Early  in  the  morning  numbers  came  round  the  hut, 
and  the  female  who  was  my  guide,  asked  me  where 
my  country  was?     I  couki  not  make  her  under- 
stand, only  that  it  wus  at  a  great  distance.     She 
then  asked  me  if  my  coimtrymen  eat  men.     I  told 
liei-  no— and  seeing  some  goats,  pointed  at  them  and 
told  her  we  eat  such  as  them.— She  then  asked  me 


NAKUATIVK. 


89 


what  made  ine  white,  and  if  it  was  not  tlie  white 
vain  that  eonie  upon  us  when  we  were  small  ?    (How 
they  came  by  this  notion  I  know  not,  but  suppose 
that  while  she  was  over  with  the  Malays  she  had 
heard  something  of  snow  from  them,  as  they  carry 
on  some  trade  with  the  English  at  Fort  Marlboro' 
and  Bencoolen.)     And  as  I  wished  to  please  and 
satisfy  them,  I  told  them  that  I  supposed  it  was— 
for  it  was  only  in  certain  seasons  of  the  year  that  it 
fell,  and  in  hot  weather  when  it  did  not  fall  the 
people  grew  darker  till  it  returned  and  then   the 
people  all  grew  white  again— this  seemed  to  please 
them  very  much. 

My  protectress  now  brought  ii  young  man  to  me 
who,  she  said,  was  her  brother,  and  who  would  shew 
me  the  way  to  the  harbom- ;— she  then  cut  a  stick 
about  eight  feet  long,  and  he  took  hold  of  one  end 
and  gave  me  the  other— she  told  me  that  she  had 
instructed  her  brother  what  to  say  at  the  harbom-. 
He  then  led  off  and  I  followed.  During  our  walk  I 
put  out  my  hand  to  him  several  ti-ncs,  and  made 
signs  of  friendship— but  he  seemed  to  be  afraid 
of  me,  and  would  look  upwards  and  then  fall  flat  on 
the  ground  and  kiss  it- this  he  repeated  as  often  as 


40 


NARR.VTIVE. 


M> 


I  made  any  sign  or  token  of  friendship  to  him. — 
When  we  had  got  near  the  harbour  he  made  a  sign 
for  me  to  sit  down  upon  a  rock,  which  I  did  ;  he 
tlien  I'.ft  me  and  went,  as  I  supposed,  to  talk  with 
the  people  at  the  water  concerning  me  ;  biit  I  had 
not  sit  lon_'  before  I  saw  a  vessel  coming  round  a 
point  into  the  harbour. — They  soon  came  on  shore 
in  the  boat. — 1  went  down  to  them  and  made  my 
case  known,  and  when  the  boat  returned  on  board 
they  t«tok  me  with  them.  It  was  a  Dutch  snow* 
bound  from  China  to  I'atavia ;  after  they  had 
wooded  and  watered  they  set  sail  for  Batavia : — 
being  out  about  three  weeks  we  arri\'ed  there  : — I 
tarried  on  board  her  about  three  weeks  longer,  and 
then  gilt  on  board  a  Spanish  ship  wliicli  was  from 
Kio  de  la  Phite  bound  to  Spain,  but  by  stress  of 
weather  was  forced  to  put  into  tliis  port.  After  the 
vessel  had  repaired  we  sailed  for  Spain.  When  we 
made  the  Cape  of  Good-Hope  we  fell  in  witii  two 
British  cruizers  of  20  guns  each,  who  engaged  ns 
and   did   tlie  vessel    considerable    damage,  but   at 

*  A  ve.isul  with  two  masts  resetnbling  tlio  main  mid  fore- 
musts  uf  ii  slui'..  and  a  tliinl  small  mast  just  abaft  tlio  mainmast, 
cnrryinjr  a  sail  similar  to  a  ship's  mizzcn. 


lull  iwfii--i'^^-r  "~""^' 


S*  lirUiMSUMlA  4HM 


NARRATIVE. 


41 


leno'tli  we  beat  them  off,  sukI  then  run  for  the  coast 
of  Brazils,  where  we  arrived  safe  aiul  began  to  work 
at  repairing  our  ship,  but  upon  examination  she  was 
found  to  be  not  fit  to  proceed  on  her  voyage,  she 
was  therefore  condemned.     I  then  left  her  and  got 
on  board  a  Portuguese  snow,  bound  up  to  St.  Helena, 
and  we  arrived  safe  at  that  place.    I  then  went  on 
shore  and  quitted  her,  and  engaged  r       .'  garrison 
there  to  do  duty  as  a  soldier  for  my  provisions,  till 
some  ship  should  arrive  there  bound  to  England. 
After  serving  here  a  month,  I  entered  on  board 
a  ship  called  the  Stormont(..)— but  orders  were  soon 
after  received  that  no  indiaman  should  sail  without 
convoy  ;  and  we  lay  here  six  months,  during  which 
time  our  captain  (Montgomery)  died. 

AVhile  1  was  at  St.  Helena,  the  vessel  which  I 
came  out  from  England  in  arrived  here,  homeward 
bound  ;  she  being  on  the  return  from  her  second 
voyage  since  I  came  from  England  :— and  now  I 
made  known  my  case  to  Captain  Kerr,  who  readily 
took  me  on  board  the  Princess-Royal,  and  used  me 
kindly— and  those  of  my  old  shipmates  on  board 
were  glad  to  see  me  again.  Captain  Kerr  at  first 
seeincr  me,  asked  me  if  I  was  not  afraid  to  let  him 


42 


NARRATIVE. 


know  who  I  was?  and  endeavoured  to  tVi«;liten  nie ; 
yet  his  conduct  towards  me  was  humane  and  kind. — 
It  had  been  yery  sickly  on  board  the  Princess- 
Royal,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  hands  which  came 
out  of  England  in  her  had  died,  and  she  was  now 
manned  chiefly  with  lascars,  (country  born  peoj)lo): 
among  those  who  had  died  was  the  boatswain  and 
the  boatswain's  mate,  and  Captain  Kerr  made  me 
boatswain  of  the  ship — in  which  office  I  continued 
until  we  arrived  in  London — and  it  protected  me 
from  being  impressed  at  our  arrival  in  England. 

"We  sailed  from  St.  Helena  about  the  iirst  of 
November,  1781,  under  convoy  of  the  Experiment 
of  50  guns,*  commanded  by  Captain  Henry,  and 
the  Shark  sloop  of  war  of  18  guns(»i) — and  we 
arrived  in  London  about  the  tirst  of  March,  1782, — 
it  havhig  been  about  two  years  and  a  half  from  the 
ti  me  I  had  left  it. 

In  about  a  fortnight  after  our  arrival  in  London, 


*  There  is  ft  mistake  here.  The  Experiment  of  oO  guns  was 
taken  by  the  Frencli,  Sept.  24,  1779,  wiien  under  the  command 
of  Sir  James  Wjillace.  Her  successor,  a  44  {?un-shii),  was  not 
laundied  until  1784.  Tlio  sliip  tlie  writer  alludes  to  was  the 
Renown,  of  50  guns,  Capt.  John  Henry.  For  account  of  her 
see  note  (30). 


NARRATIVE. 


43 


I  entered  on  boarol  tlic  King-George,  (s^  store-ship 
bound  to  Antigua,  and  after  four  weeks  passage 
arrived  tliere — the  second  night  after  we  came  to 
anchor  in  Antigua,  I  took  the  ship's  boat  and  made 
my  escape  in  her  to  Montserrat,*  which  place  had 
but  just  before  been  taken  by  the  French. — Here  1 
did  not  meet  with  the  ti'eatment  which.  I  expected  ; 
for  on  my  arrival  at  Montserrat  I  was  immediately 
taken  up  and  put  in  prison,  where  I  continued 
24  hours,  and  mv  boat  taken  from  me  ; — I  was  then 
sent  to  Guadaloupe,t  and  examined  by  the  gover- 
nor.— I  made  known  my  case  to  him,  by  accpiainting 
him  with  the  misfortunes  I  had  gone  tln-ough  in  my 
captivity  and  in  making  my  escape— he  seemed  to 
connniserate  me — gave  me  ten  dollars  for  the  boat 
that  1  escaped  in,  and  provided  a  passage  for  me  on 
board  a  French  brigantine:}:  that  was  bound  from 

*  Tlie  Isle  of  Montserrat  in  the  West  Indies,  was  discovered 
by  Columbus  in  1493,  and  was  planted  by  England  in  1632. 
It  was  taken  by  the  French,  Feb.  18,  1782,  and  was  restored 
to  England  in  1783. 

t  One  of  the  West  India  Islands,  Leeward  Group.  The 
Governor  at  this  time  was  Capt.  Gen.  Thomas  Shirley. 

X  This  was  a  small,  flat,  open,  light  vessel,  going  both  with 
sails  and  oars,  being  intended  either  for  iighting  or  giving 


44 


NARRATIVK. 


Onadaloupc  to  Philadelpliia : — the  vessel  sailed  i>i  a 
tew  days — and  now  my  prospects  were  favourable — 
but  my  misfortunes  were  not  to  end  here  ;  for  after 
being  out  21  days,  we  fell  in  with  the  Aniphitrite  (as) 
and  Amphene,  (•«)  two  British  cruizers,  off  the  Capes 
of  Delaware,  by  whom  we  were  taken,  carried  into 
New- York,  and  put  on  board  the  Jersey  (jh)  prison- 
ship — after  being  on  board  about  a  week,  a  cartel 
was  fitted  out  for  France,  and  I  was  sent  on  board 
as  a  French  prisoner : — The  cartel  was  ordered  for 
St.  Malo's,  *  and  after  a  passage  of  32  days  we 
arrived  safe  at  that  place. 

Finding  no  American  vessel  at  St.  Malu's,  I  went 
to  the  commandant  and  procured  a  pass  to  go  by 
land  to  Fort  TOrient ;  f  on  my  arrival  there  I  found 
three  American  privateers  belonging  to  Beverley,;}: 
in  the  Massachusetts.  I  was  much  elated  at  seeing 
so  many  of  my  country,  some  of  whom  I  was  well 


chase.  These  vessels  were  first  used  bj  pirates.  The  English 
brigantine  was  quite  different ;  in  fact,  tlje  term  was  various] j 
applied  by  the  mariners  of  different  European  nations. 

*  A  seaport  town  in  France. 

t  A  seaport  town  in  France. 

I  Beverly,  a  post  town  in  Essex  Co.,  Mass.  First  settled, 
ia26.     Population  in  18C0,  0,154. 


NAKKATIVK. 


45 


iicquaiutt'd  with.  I  iminediately  entcM-od  on  boanl 
the  BuciDieer— Captain  Phierson  :— Wc  sailed  on  a 
cruize,  and  after  being  out  18  days,  we  returned  to 
L'Orient  with  six  prizes.— Three  days  after  our 
arrival  in  port  we  lieard  the  joyful  news  of  peace;— 
on  which  the  privateer  was  dismantled,  tlic  people 
discharged,  and  Capt.  Phierson  sailed  on  a  merchant 
voyage  to  Norway. 

I  then  entered  on  board  a  brig  boinid  to  Lisbon, 
(Capt.  Ellenwood(3.)  of  Beverly),  and  arrived  at 
Lisbon  in  eight  days— we  took  in  a  cargo  of  salt, 
and  sailed  for  Beverly,  where  we  arrived  the  9th 
of  May,  1783,— being  now  only  15  miles  from 
home.— I  immediately  set  for  Cape- Ann, (^O  went 
to  my  father's  (38)  house,  and  had  an  agreeable 
meeting  with  my  friends,  after  an  absence  of  almost 
six  years. 

Neii>-Txmdon  May  10,  1788. 

JOHN  BLATCHFOEDO.). 


46 


NARRATIVE. 


[N.B.  Those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  narrator  will 
not  scruple  to  give  full  credit  to  the  foregoing  account  -■ 
and  others  may  satisfy  themselves  iy  conversing  with  him. 
The  scars  he  carries  are  proof  of  a  part  of  his  narrative — 
and  a  gentleman  "belonging  to  New-London,  who  was  several 
months  with  him,  was  acquainted  with  part  of  his  suffer- 
ings, tho^  it  was  out  of  his  power  to  relieve  him.— He  is  a 
poor  man,  with  a  wife  and  two  children — Sis  employment 
fishing  and  coastin;!.] 


hi 


Boston,  Dec.  C,  18G4. 

I  have  carefully  compared  the  foregoing  copy  (40  pages) 
with  the  printod  tract  in  the  Librari'  of  the  Mass.  Hist.  Society,  and 
hereby  certify  that  it  is  an  accurate  transcript  of  the  same. 

J.  Applb-ok, 

Assist't.  Z,i6'n. 


NOTES. 


(i)  The  Haxcock  was  one  of  tlie  thirteen  vessels  authorized 
to  be  built  by  resolution  of  Congress  of  Dec.  13th,  1775,  and 
was  one  of  the  two  frigates  which,  by  that  resolve,  were 
ordered  to  be  constructed  in  Massachusetts.  She  mounted 
32  twelve-pounder  guns,  and  was  built  at,  or  near  Boston,  in 
1776.  As  soon  as  she  was  equipped  and  ready  for  sea,  she 
was  placed  under  the  command  of  Captain  John  Manly,  and 
soon  after  sailed  on  a  cruise.  On  the  27th  day  of  June,  1777, 
in  company  with  the  frigate  Boston,  of  24  guns,  she  took  ott' 
the  coast  of  New  Foundland,  the  British  frigate  Fox,  of  28 
guns,  after  au  action  of  about  two  hours'  duration.  On  the  8th 
day  of  July  following,  after  a  chase  of  more  tlian  30  liours,  the 
Hancock  was  captured  by  the  Rainbow,  of  44  guns,  com- 
manded by  Sir  George  Collier,  and  taken  to  Halifax.  Capt. 
Manly  is  thought  to  have  lost  her  in  consequence  of  having 
put  her  out  of  trim  by  starting  the  water  in  her  fore  hold. 
She  was  subsequently  purchased  on  behalf  of  the  British  gov- 
ernment, and  added  to  the  navy  under  the  name  of  the  Iris. 


48 


NOTKS. 


On  tlie  7th  day  of  June,  1780,  while  under  the  command  of 
Oapt.  James  Uawker,  she  encountered  off  the  coast  of  North 
America,  tlie  French  36-gun  frigate  llerinoine,  M.  la  Fouche 
TrevlUe,  coinmauder,  and  after  a  severe  action  of  one  hour 
and  twenty  minutes,  the  latter  was  compelled  to  sheer  off.  On 
the  16th  day  of  March,  1781,  being  then  under  the  orders  of 
Capt.  George  Dawson,  the  Iris  formed  one  of  the  squadron 
under  Admiral  Arbuthnot  in  the  action  off  the  Chesapeake, 
with  tlie  squadron  under  M.  de  Ternay.  On  the  9th  of  August 
following,  while  cruising  off  the  capes  of  Delaware,  she  fell  in 
with  the  American  sliip  Trumbull,  of  28  guns,  Capt.  James 
Nicholson.  A  sharp  action  commenced,  and  continued  fur 
over  an  hour  with  no  definite  result,  when  another  British 
friirate  came  up,  whereupon,  the  Trumbull  struck  her  eolorB. 
In  this  engagement  the  Trumbull  had  four  men  killed  and  five 
wounded,  and  the  Iris  one  killed  and  six  wounded.  Previous 
to  the  contest  the  Trumbull  had  lost  lier  fore-top  mast  in  a 
gale  of  wind.  She  was  a  valuable  ])rize,  having  five  hundred 
barrels  of  fresh  Philadelphia  Hour  and  bread  on  board.  On 
the  10th  day  of  September  following,  the  Iris  was  sent  to  cut 
away  the  French  buoys  at  the  anchorage  ground  near  the 
Chesapeake  Bay,  when  she  was  intercepted  and  captured  by 
tlie  French  squadron  under  M.  de  Barras.  She  was  subse- 
quently added  to  the  French  navy  under  the  same  name. 
During  the  time  she  was  held  by  tlie  British,  she  proved  her- 
self one  of  the  fastest  ships  on  the  xVmerican  station,  and  cap- 
tured so  many  rich  prizes,  that  she  is  said  to  have  made  the 


NOTES. 


49 


fortunes  of  all  who  coHimanded  lier.  Her  place  in  the  British 
service  was  supplied  by  another  frigate,  of  the  same  name  and 
force,  which  was  built  on  the  river  Thames  in  1783.  The  Iris 
remained  in  the  possession  of  the  French  until  the  year  1793, 
when  she  was  blown  up  at  Toulon,  as  a  magazine,  by  the 
Spaniards. 


(j)  Cai)t.  John  Mani,t  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and 
was  born  in  the  year  1783.  After  receiving  the  rudiments  of 
education,  he  embraced  the  maritime  life,  and  soon  became 
noted  for  his  energy  and  professional  merit.  In  1775  he  com- 
manded the  schooner  Lee,  and  in  November  of  that  year,  took 
the  Nancy,  a  transport  bound  to  Boston,  and  laden  with 
valuable  munitions  of  war,  of  which  the  colonists  were  then  in 
great  need.  While  in  this  command  he  made  other  valuable 
prizes,  one  of  which  he  captured  in  sight  of  the  Britisli  Heet  in 
Boston  harbor,  llis  zeal  and  enterprise  attracted  the  attention 
of  Congress,  and  that  body,  in  the  following  year,  ai)pointed 
him  a  captain  in  the  navy,  and  gave  him  the  command  of  the 
Hancock,  a  l)eantiful  frigate  of  32  guns,  then  building  in  Mas- 
sachusetts. In  this  vessel  he  captured  the  Fox.  June  27th, 
1777,  and  in  July  following  tliis  prize  was  retaken  by  the 
Flora  of  32  guns,  Capt.  Brisbane.  About  the  same  time,  the 
Hancock  struck  to  the  Rainbow,  Sir  George  Collier,  after  a 
long  chase,  and  was  taken  with  her  crew  to  Halifax.  In  a  few 
days  .after,  Capt.  Manly  was  conveyed  to  New  York,  whore  ho 
remained  a  prisoner  until  the  month  of  April  of  tlie  year  fol- 


60 


NOTES. 


lowing.    He  was  then  released  and  returned  to  Boston,  when 
his  conduct  was  investigated,  but  the  result  of  the  inquiry  left 
hiiu  without  reproach.     Soon  after  this  he  was  put  in  com- 
mand of  the  Cumberland,  a  new  privateer  of  20  guns,  and  in 
Jan.,  1779,  while  cruising  in  her  off  the  southern  coast,  was 
taken  by  the  Pomona  frigate  of  28  guns,  Capt.  "Waldegrave, 
and  carried  into  Barbadoes,  where  he  and  his  officers  were 
imprisoned.     Finding  that  their  applications  for  paroles  were 
rejected,  they  determined  to  attempt  their  escape.     This  they 
effected  by  taking  possession  of  a  Bermudian  sloop,  and  steer- 
ing their  course  for  Martinico,  where  tiiey  arrived  in  safety 
and  sold  their  vessel.     On  his  return  liome,  Cupt.  Manly  was 
appointed  to  the  privateer  Jason,  of  20  guns,  which  vessel  had 
just  before  been  taken  from  the  Britisli.     On  the  25th  July, 
1779,  while  on  a  cruise  in  her,  lie  was  attacked  by  two  British 
nrivateers,  one  of  18  and  the  other  of  10  guns.     Reserving  his 
fire,  Capt.  Manly  ran  between  the  privateers,  and  poured  his 
starboard  broadside  into  one,  and  his  larboard  broadside  into 
the  otlier  with  great  effect,  whereupon  both  his  opponents 
struck  tlieir  colors.    In  the  month  of  August  following,  while 
cruising  off*  the   coast  of  Nova  Scotia,   lie   took   a   ship  of 
14  guns,   and    20  men.      In   November,   after  an   obstinate 
engagement  of  four  glasses,  Capt.  Manly  was  captured  by  the 
Perseus  frigate  of  20  guns.    In  tliis  contest  the  Jason  lost  18 
killed   and   12  wounded,   and  tlic   Perseus   7  killed   and  10 
wounded.     Having  been  exchanged,  Ca[)t.  Manly  was  on  the 
11th  Sept.,  1782,  appointed  to  the  frigate  Hague,  formerly  the 


f 


NOTES. 


51 


I 


Deniie,  of  32  guns,  aud  sailed  for  the  West  Indies.  A  few  days 
after  leaving  Martinique,  he  was  descried  by  a  JJritisli  74,  and 
to  avoid  capture,  he  ran  his  ship  on  a  sand  bank  near  Guada- 
loupe.  AVhile  thus  exposed,  he  is  said  to  have  sustained  the 
fire  from  the  enemy's  ships  for  three  days  with  undaunted 
firmness.  On  the  4th  he  got  off,  when,  hoisting  his  colors  at 
the  main-top-gallant-mast,  and  firing  13  guns  in  farewell 
defiance,  he  made  his  escape  and  arrived  safely  in  Boston, 
where,  tiiis  exploit  having  gained  him  much  eclat,  he  was 
received  with  marked  attention.  Capt.  Manly  continued  in 
conmiand  of  tiie  Hague,  and  his  ship  was  one  of  the  last 
cruisers  at  sea  in  the  war.  She  was  frequently  cliased,  and 
made  many  narrow  escapes.  After  the  ])eace,  Capt.  Manly 
returned  o  Boston,  and  retired  to  private  life.  He  died  in 
that  city,  Feb.  12,  1793,  in  the  60th  year  of  his  age. 


(s)  The  Fox  was  a  British  frigate  mounting  28  guns,  four  of 
which  were  four-pounders,  and  the  remaining  twenty-four  long 
nine-pounders.  Blie  was  registered  as  a  sixth-rate,  and  was 
built  on  the  river  Thames  in  the  year  1774.  She  was  placed 
under  the  conmiand  of  Capt.  P.  Fotheringham,  and  in  1776 
formed  one  of  the  squadron  at  Now  Foundland,  under  John 
Montagu,  vice-admiral  of  the  white.  On  the  27th  day  of  June, 
1777,  while  on  a  cruise  near  the  15anks  of  New  Foundland, 
she  fell  in  with  the  American  frigates  Hancock,  of  32  guns, 
and  Boston,  of  24  guns.  An  action  commenced  and  continued 
for  about  two  hours.     During  the  eugayement  the  Fox  took 


52 


NOT  lis. 


fire  in  the  main  chains,  where  a  number  of  wads  had  been 
deposited.  Upon  this,  the  Americans  ceased  firing  until  the 
flames  were  extinguished,  when  the  contest  Avas  resumed. 
The  Fox  being  at  length  reduced  to  a  wreck,  and  having  sus- 
tained a  severe  loss  in  killed  and  wounded,  Capt.  Fotheriugham 
ordered  the  colors  to  be  hauled  down.  The  Lieut,  of  Marines, 
lion.  James  J.  Xapier,  was  among  the  wounded.  In  July 
following,  while  the  prize  was  being  conveyed  by  her  captors 
to  Boston,  the  British  ship  Rainbow  hove  in  sight  and  gave 
cliase  to  the  Hancock,  while  the  Boston  effected  her  escape. 
During  the  chase,  the  32-gun  frigate  Flora  came  up  and 
recaptured  the  Fox,  and  carried  her  into  Halifax.  The  Fox, 
after  undergoing  repairs,  was  again  taken  into  the  British 
service.  She  was  placed  under  the  orders  of  Hon.  Thomas 
Windsor,  manned  with  a  crew  of  200  men,  and  in  1778,  fonned 
one  of  the  fleet  of  Admiral  Keppel,  which  in  July  of  that 
year  was  cruising  ofl:'  Brest  in  search  of  the  French  fleet  under 
Corate  d'  Grvilliers.  On  the  10th  of  September  following, 
while  ofl^  the  French  coast,  she  was  chased  by  the  34-gun 
frigata  Junon,  commanded  by  Vicomte  de  Beaumont.  The 
weather  being  thick  and  hazy,  the  Junon  was  not  perceived 
until  close  aboard  of  the  Fox,  when  the  latter  hove  to  and 
awaited  the  approach  of  the  Frenchman.  An  action  com- 
menced, and  lasted  for  three  hours,  when  the  Fox,  being 
totally  dismasted,  having  several  guns  disabled,  11  men  killed, 
and  Cajft.  AVindsor  and  49  of  his  men  wounded,  many  of  them 
mortally,  hauled  down  her  colors.     The  Junon  had  a  crew  of 


NOTEJ. 


53 


330  men,  and  carried  six  r.-pounders  and  28  long  twelves. 
The  Fox  was  succeeded  in  the  British  navy  by  a  32-gun 
frigate  of  the  same  name,  of  697  tons  burd'in,  built  at  Bursle- 
don,  in  tlie  year  1780. 

Patkiok  FoTnKniNGiiAM  was  made  lieut.  on  the  13th  day  of 
Dec,  1760,  promoted  to  commander  April  1,  1765,  and  raised 
to  the  rank  of  captain,  Sept.  2,  1773.  About  the  year  1772, 
lie  was  appointed  to  the  sloop  Merlin,  of  18  guns,  in  whicli 
vessel  he  seems  to  have  served  until  1775,  when  he  was  made 
capt.  of  the  Fox,  of  28  guns,  and  soon  aftor,  ordered  to  North 
America.  Capt.  Fotheringham  was  tried  by  court-martial  at 
Portsmouth,  March  3,  1778,  for  the  loss  of  his  ship,  and  he 
and  liis  officers  were  honorably  acquitted.  He  was  sc^n  after 
appointed  to  the  Resource,  of  28  guns,  in  which  frigate  he 
remained  for  the  usual  period.  lie  died  in  the  ^.Vest  Indies  in 
the  spring  of  1781,  while  captain  of  the  ship  Ruby. 

(i)  The  Rainbow  was  registered  as  a  fifth-rate,  carried 
44  guns,  and  was  built  on  the  river  Thames  in  1701,  to 
succeed  a  40-gun  ship  of  the  same  name,  then  broken  up.  The 
dimensions  of  our  vessel  were  as  follows  :  length  of  gun-deck, 
131  feet  3  in.;  of  keel,  108  ft.  3^  in-;  breadth,  37  ft.  10*4  in-! 
depth  in  hold,  16  ft.;  tons,  831.  In  the  year  1762,  she  was 
placed  under  the  orders  of  Capt.  Mark  Robinson,  and  formed 
one  of  the  Ilavanna  squadron  under  Commodore  Elliot,  at 
which  time  she  carried  a  crew  of  380  men.  In  1704  she  was 
commanded  by  Capt.  Walter  Sterling,  and  was  on  duty  in 


64 


NOTES. 


North  America.  She  remained  on  this  station  till  176C,  when 
she  returned  homo  and  was  put  out  of  commission.  A  short 
time  after  the  prospect  of  a  rupture  with  Spain  had  passed 
away,  Oapt.  Charles  Fielding  was  appointed  to  the  Rainbow, 
then  equipping  for  service  at  Chatham,  a  command  which  he 
retained  for  nearly  two  years.  Towards  the  conclusion  of 
1771,  Thomas  Collingwood  was  placed  in  command  of  her, 
and  lie  seems  to  have  remained  in  her  for  the  usual  period  of 
three  years,  doing  duty  a  part  of  the  time  on  the  coast  of 
Guinea.  At  the  commencement  of  the  dispute  with  the 
North  American  colonies,  she  was  placed  under  the  orders 
of  Sir  George  Collier,  and  came  to  America  with  Commodore 
Ilotham,  and  a  large  re-iuforccment  of  troops  for  the  army 
under  Gen.  Howe.  In  1770  she  co-operated  with  the  army  in 
the  reduction  of  New  York,  and  in  1777  she  was  stationed  at 
Halifax,  wliere  ?Iio  was  one  of  a  small  squadron  employed  in 
protecting  the  fisheries  as  well  as  the  trade  in  that  quaiter. 
In  the  month  of  July,  being  on  a  cruise,  she  fell  in  with,  and 
after  a  long  chase,  captured  the  Hancock  frigate  of  32  guns 
and  290  men— a  ship  esteemed  at  that  time  the  finest  in 
the  American  service,  and  one  of  the  fastest  sailing  vessels 
ever  built.  After  this,  the  Kainbow  proceeded  to  Machias, 
and  along  tlie  coast  of  New  England,  burning  the  vessels  and 
dest.  'ying  the  stores  intended  for  the  contemplated  invasion 
by  the  An^ericans  of  Nova  Scotia.  In  the  beginning  of  1779 
she  was  one  of  a  squadron  that  sailed  from  New  York  in  com- 
[)any  with  transports  convey ir;g  troops  under  Gen.  Matthew 


NOTES. 


55 


to  Hampton  Roads,  and  she  co-operated  with  the  army  in  tlie 
reduction  of  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Portsmouth,  and  Gosport.     A 
short  time  after  this,  Jolm  Kendall  was  -.ppointed  to  her,  and 
shortly   after,   she  retiirned   homo  and   went   into   dock  at 
Chatham.      Uuving   heen    thoroughly   overhauled,    she   was 
placed  nnder  the  orders  of  Henry  TroUope,   and   sailed  on 
the  2d  day  of  Sept.,  1782,  for  Plymouth,  to  join  Commodore 
Elliot  in  the  Channel.     When  off  the  Isle  of  Bt\^  sho  fell  in 
with  and  captured  the  French  frigate  La  Hebe,  of  40  guns  and 
30O  nien,  then  on  her  way  from  St.  Malo  to  lirest,  with  a  con- 
voy, which  in  the  chase,  being  close  in  shore,  got  into  Morlais 
in  safety.    In  tlie  engagement,  the  Rainbow  lost  only  one 
man,  wliile  her  opponent  had   her  2d  capt.  and  four  men 
killed,  besides  several  wounded.     Among  tlie  latter  was  Mons. 
de  Vigny,  the  commander  of  the  French  vessel.     The  Hebe 
being  a  fine  ship,  was  purchased  by  government,  and  added  to 
the  Royal  navy  under  the  same  name.    This  action  appears  to 
have  been  the  last  active  service  of  the  Rainbow,  for  we  find 
her  in  1784  reported  as  a  hulk.    Shortly  after  tliis  she  was  fitted 
up  as  a  receiving  ship,  and  stationed  at  Woolwich.     She  was 
used  in  this  capacity  until  about  the  year  1801,  when  she  was 
broken  up.     The  "  Rainbow  "  seems  to  have  been  a  favorite 
name  in  the  British  navy,  as  we  read  of  one  as  early  as  1594, 
in  a  squadron  under  Sir  Martin  Frobisher,  sent  to   aid  the 
French  in  their  attack  upon  Brest,  which  was  then  in  posses- 
sion of  the  Spaniards. 
Sib  Geobok  Collier  was  born  in  1738.    He  entered  the 


56 


NOTES. 


i 


navy  when  ahout  thirteen  years  of  ago,  and  i^ervcd  part  of  his 
time  with  Sir  George  Pococl<.  lie  was  made  commander, 
Aug.  6,  1761,  and  attained  the  rank  of  captain,  July  12,  1762. 
About  this  time,  he  was  ai)pointed  to  the  Boloirne,  of  32  guns, 
in  which  vessel  ho  served  till  the  followirg  year,  when  peace 
having  taken  jjlace,  he  was  appointed  to  the  Edgar,  of  CO  guns, 
then  a  gv.ard-ship  at  Plymouth.  In  lT7i>,  he  was  comi  lissioned 
to  the  Tweed  frigate,  and  sailed  on  a  cruise  in  the  Channel  in 
a  small  squadron  under  the  Ucka  of  Cumberland.  He  subse- 
quently commanded  tha  Levant,  of  28  guns,  anJ  afterwards 
the  Flora,  of  32,  and  iii  1775,  received  the  honor  of  knight- 
hood. About  this  time  e  was  appointed  to  the  Rainbow,  of 
44  gun^i,  and  in  1776,  proceeded  in  her  to  Xorth  America. 
He  assisted  in  the  reduction  of  New  York  in  tl  mi  year,  and  in 
1777,  commanded  the  detachment  of  the  fleet  stationed  al 
Halifax,  distinguishing  himself  greatly  by  his  energy  and 
activity.  In  July  he  captured  the  American  frigate  Hancock, 
of  32  guns,  d  soon  after  bringing  her  into  port,  he  i>roceeded 
to  Machias,  where  he  destroyed  the  magazines  and  store- 
houses filled  with  flour,  rice  and  other  articles,  wliich  the 
Aricricans  had  collected  there  for  a  contemplated  invasion  of 
Nova  Scotia,  and  subsequently  burnt  30  sail  of  vessels  along  the 
coast  of  New  England.  He  continued  on  that  station  till 
March,  1779,  w.ien  he  moved  into  the  Raisonable  of  04  guns, 
on  board  of  whi  jh  he  hoisted  his  broad  pendant  as  commander- 
in-chief,  pro  tempore,  on  the  American  station.  In  May  fol- 
lowing, he  commanded  the  fleet  iu  the  expedition  to  Virginia, 


NOTES. 


57 


nnd  in  conjunction  with  a  land  force  under  Gen.  Matthew, 
took  possession  of  rortsinoi.cii,  Norfolk,  Gosi)ort  and  Suftblk, 
capturing  a  Uirgu  (juantity  of  stores,  cannon  and  ammunition, 
and  destroying  many  vessels  and  much  property  of  all  kind. 
After  liis  return  to  New  York,  he  assisted  in  the  reduction  of 
Stony  Point,  Fort  Lafayette  and  Verplanck's  Point,  subse- 
quently co-operated  with  Gen.  Tryou  in  the  destruction  of 
Norwalk,  Fairfield  and  Greenfield,  and  in  July  following  went 
to  the  relief  of  Penobscot,   where   he  signally  defeated  the 
American  fleet  under  Saltonstall,  capturing  and  destroying  the 
whole  force,  amounting  to  37  large  armed  vess.-'s.     After  this 
he  returned  to  New  York,  where  he  found  Admiral  Arbuth- 
not,  to  whom  he  resigned  the  command  of  the  siiuadron,  and 
then  returned  to  England.     In  1780  he  was  appointed  to  the 
Canuaa,  of  74  guns,  one  of  the  ships  beU^nging  to  the  Channel 
fleet ;  in  the  following  year  ho  accompanied  Admiral  Darby 
to  the  relief  of  Gibraltar,  and  in  1784  was  elected  M.  P.  for 
Iloniton.    In  1790,  on  the  expectation  of  a  rupture  with  Spain, 
he  was  appointed  to  the  St.  George,  of  98  guns ;  but  the 
dispute  being  accommodated,  the  St.  George  was  paid  off.    On 
the  1st  Feb.,  1793,  he  was  made  rear-admiral  of  the  white,  on 
the  12th  April,  1794,   rear-admiral  of  the  red,  and  on  the 
12th  July  following,  vice-admiral  of  the     hite,  which  was  the 
highest  rank  he   lived   to  attain.      In  Jan.,    i795,    ho   was 
appointed  to  the  chief  command  at  the  Nore,  but  was  com- 
pelled to  resign  on  account  of  ill  health.     He  died  on  the  Gth 
day  of  April  following.    Sir  George  had  blue  eyes,  light  hair. 


.58 


NOTES. 


W        t 


and  fair  complexion.  Tliough  of  iiie<iiniu  height,  l»o  was  w«ll 
proportioned  and  very  active.  As  a  private  individual,  ho 
was  aniialjlo  and  benevolent,  sociable  and  pleasant ;  as  an 
officer,  brave,  active  and  persevering,  cool  and  doterniined  in 
battle,  flow  to  punish,  but  a  strict  observer  of  discipline, 
lie  was  possessed  of  much  literary  taste,  and  was  the  trans- 
lator of  Seliina  and  Azor,  a  drannitic  romance,  which  was 
successfully  performed  at  Drury  Lane  Theatre  in  177*).  He 
was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Christiana  Gwyn, 
t(j  whom  he  was  ui.ited  in  1773.  By  her  he  had  one  son. 
His  second  wife  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Fryer,  to  whom  lie  was 
married  in  1781.  I5y  her  he  had  two  daughtci-s  and  four 
sons.  The  latter  all  entered  the  service  of  their  country — two 
in  the  army  and  two  in  the  navy,  (ieorge,  the  eldest  of  the 
four,  became  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Coldstream  Guards,  and 
was  killed  in  his  31st  year  in  the  sortie  from  Hayonne, 
March  10,  1«14. 

(r.)  Tlie  Fi.ou.v  was  a  fifth-rate  IJritish  frigate,  mounting  32 
giins.  She  was  formerly  the  Vestale  French  frigate  of  33  guns, 
and  was  captured  oft'  the  French  coast  on  tlie  8th  January, 
1701.  Ijy  the  Union  frigate  of  28  guns,  Capt.  Joseph  Hunt, 
after  a  severe  action,  in  whicli  Capt.  Hunt  was  killed,  and 
M.  Boisbertelot,  the  commander  of  the  Vestale,  had  his  leg 
shot  off,  in  conseqnenco  of  which  lie  di'.il  the  next  day.  The 
Vestale  was  repaired  and  added  to  the  British  navy,  under 
the  namo  of  the  Flora.     In  1702  she  was  stationed  in  the 


t 

it'     \ 


NOTKS. 


51) 


Downs,  niitl  wns  tlicn  commanded  by  Cnpt.  (iaiiiiiliel  Nightin- 
gale. She  reiniiined  on  home  duty  but  a  short  time,  as  peace 
took  place  soon  after,  and  she  was  then  put  out  of  cotnini.ssion. 
Her  next  employment  appears  to  have  been  in  1773,  at  which 
time  she  was  commanded  by  Capt.  Gerrge  Collier,  and  was  on 
the  home  station.  St>on  after  the  commencement  of  tlie 
contest  with  the  colonies,  Capt.  John  Hrisbano  was  appointed 
to  her,  and  in  1776  she  was  ordered  to  North  America  with  a 
convoy.  She  was  employed  liere  subsequently  on  a  variety 
of  desultory  service.  In  July,  1777,  she  re-captured  the  Fo.v, 
a  frigate  of  28  guns,  which  had  been  taken  on  the  IJaiiks  of 
New  Foundland.  a  short  time  before,  by  the  American  frigates 
Hancock  and  Boston.  In  the  summer  of  177f,  she  was  one 
of  the  small  S(|nadron  under  Cai)t.  Brisbane,  that  was  stationed 
off  Rhode  Island,  to  protect  that  post  and  distress  the  com- 
merce of  the  neighljoriiig  coast.  While  thus  employed,  the 
French  fleet,  \mder  Comte  d'Estaing,  comprising  12  shi[>s  of 
the  line  and  4  frigates,  made  its  appearance  oft'  liiiode  Island 
on  the  28th  of  July,  and  after  several  previous  indicjitions  of 
attack  in  less  force,  entered  the  harbor  of  Newport  on  the 
8th  day  of  August  following.  In  consequence  of  this,  the 
officers  of  Capt.  Brisbane's  squadron,  then  lying  in  tlie  harI)or, 
were  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  burning  or  sinking  their  ships, 
to  prevent  them  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and 
the  Flora  was  one  of  those  that  were  sunk.  Her  place  in  the 
British  navy  was  supplied  by  a  36-gun  frigate,  of  the  same 
name,  which  was  built  at  Deptford  in  the  year  1780,   and 


90 


NOTKS. 


whicli,  after  serving  with  distinction,  was  lost  on  the  18th 
January,  1808,  by  striking  upon  Schelling  Reef.  The  32-gun 
frigate  Flora,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  after  being  submerged 
for  some  time,  was  at  length  weighed  by  the  Americans,  and 
sold  by  tiiem  to  the  French,  who  gave  her  the  name  of  the 
Floro.  On  the  7th  September,  1Y98,  she  was  captured  oft' the 
Frencii  coast,  after  a  long  chase,  by  the  Phaeton  frigate 
of  38  guns,  lion.  Robert  Stopford,  and  the  Anson  frigate  of 
44  guns,  Philip  C.  Durham.  Her  subsequent  history  we  have 
been  uuiible  to  learn  further  than  that  she  was  sold  soon  after 
siie  was  brought  into  port. 


II I 


Juii.v  Brisbane  was  appointed  lieutenant,  Aug.  5,  1757,  and 
was  rtmod  to  the  rank  of  captain  on  the  24th  Sept.,  1760. 
For  a  short  time  he  commanded  the  Nightingale,  a  20-gun 
ship,  on  the  American  station.  After  this  he  was  appointed 
to  the  Echo,  a  24-gun  frigate,  lately  taken  from  the  French, 
and  was  ordered  to  the  West  Indies,  lie  continued  there  till 
the  end  of  the  war,  when  he  returned  home,  and  his  ship  was 
put  oat  of  commission.  In  1769  he  was  ap[)ointed  to  the 
Ceberus,  of  28  guns,  and  after  being  in  her  a  short  time,  he 
returned  to  Chatham,  when  his  ship  was  laid  up.  Soon  after 
the  commencement  of  the  American  revolution,  he  was 
appointed  to  the  Flora,  of  32  guns,  and  in  1776  sailed  in  her 
to  America,  where  he  had  been  ordered  with  a  convoy.  In 
July,  1777,  Imj  recaptured  the  Fox  frigate  of  28  guns,  and  in 
the  summer  of  the  following  year,  was  stationed  oft"  Rhode 


NOTES. 


61 


Twinnd  as  senior  or  comiranding  officer  of  a  small  s<jua<lroii. 
Having  lost  his  ship  while  in  this  comniand,  he  returned  home 
in  the  fall,  when  he  was  appointed  to  the  Alcide,  a  new  ship 
of  74  guns.  In  December,  1779,  he  sailed  with  Sir  George 
Rodney  to  Gibraltar,  but  was  not  materially,  if  at  all,  engaged 
in  the  action  with  the  Spanish  s<juadron.  He  subseijueiitly 
proceeded  to  the  West  Indies,  and  tlience  to  America,  after 
which  he  was  sent  home  by  Sir  George  Rodney,  with  the 
information  of  that  officer's  arrival  on  the  American  station 
with  the  AVest  India  detachment.  He  reached  England  in 
December,  and  then  quitted  the  command  of  the  Akide,  In 
the  ensuing  year  he  was  appointed  to  the  Hercules,  of  the 
same  force,  but  in  consequence  of  impaired  liealth,  he  was 
under  the  necessity  of  resigning  this  command  in  December 
following.  On  the  21st  September,  1790,  he  was  made  rear- 
admiral  of  the  blue,  and  on  the  12th  April,  1794,  was  advanced 
to  vice-admiral  of  the  blue.  On  the  4th  July  following,  he 
was  raised  to  vice-admiral  of  the  white,  and  on  the  1st  June, 
1795,  was  advanced  to  vice-admiral  of  the  red.  lie  died  on 
the  10th  December,  1807.  He  had  by  his  wife,  Mary,  two 
daughters  and  also  six  sons,  three  of  whom  died  in  tiie  service 
of  their  country.  The  widow  of  Admiral  Brisbane  died  at 
Brighton,  April  29th,  1817. 

(o)  The  Oabot  was  a  brig  of  189  tons  burden,  mounted 
14  gnns,  believed  to  be  six-ponnders,  and  was  purchased  by 
Congress  in  1775.    On  tho  22d  December  of  that  year,  the 


i-.^nrar* « j-'SJ^lRH 


mm 


(  ! 


62 


NOTES. 


l\  I 


oommand  of  her  was  given  to  Capt.  John  B.  Hopkins,  and  in 
February  tbllowinjr,  she  formed  one  of  the  squadron  under 
Commodore  Ezek  Hopkins,  in  liis  attack  upon  New  Provi- 
dence. On  her  return  she  engaged  tlie  Glasgow  frigate  of 
20  guns,  Capt.  Tyringham  Howe;  but  tlie  Latter  being  too 
iieavy  a  force  for  lier,  she  was  compelled  to  sheer  oft',  having 
lier  captain  wounded,  her  master  killed,  and  a  number  of  her 
crew  iiiinred.  She  was  subsequently  placed  inidor  the  com- 
mand of  Capt.  Elisha  Hinman,  and  in  the  month  of  October 
she  took  two  ships  from  Jamaica  bound  to  Loudon,  with 
sugar,  rum  and  indigo,  five  ships  and  a  brig,  all  from  Jamaica, 
one  of  them  a  3-decker,  with  u'nvards  of  600  hhds.  on  board. 
Her  next  commander  was  Capt.  Joseph  Olney.  While  under 
his  orders,  in  March,  1777,  she  was  chased  on  shore  on  the 
coast  of  Nova  Scotia  by  the  liritish  frigate  MilAu'd,  of 
28  guns,  Capt.  John  Burr,  (see  Allen's  Battles  Brit.  Navy, 
vol.  i.,  p.  242,)  who  pressed  her  so  liard  that  she  had  barely 
time  to  get  her  people  out.  Capt.  Olney  and  crew,  after 
abandoning  their  vessel,  retreated  to  the  woods,  and  subse- 
(piently  seized  a  schooner,  in  which  they  got  homo  in  safety. 
The  enemy,  after  a  long  trial,  got  the  Cabot  oft".  She  was 
taken  into  the  British  service,  under  the  same  name,  and 
placed  under  the  command  of  Edward  Dodd.  On  the  13th 
May,  1770,  she  was  one  of  the  squadron  of  Sir  James  Wallace 
that  drove  a  division  of  the  French  force  in  Cancale  Bay,  in 
which  service  si  e  had  her  purser  killed  and  two  of  her  men 
wounded.     In  1780  slio  wa:;  uuder  the  command  of  Henry 


lili     '» 


NOTES. 


63 


Cromwell,  and  was  one  of  the  squadron  of  Vice-admiral 
Parker,  in  the  battle  with  the  Dutch  squadron  under  Rear- 
admiral  Zoutman,  off  the  Dogger  Bank,  on  the  5th  day  of 
August  of  the  following  year.  In  1782  she  was  at  Slieerness, 
and  slie  appears  to  liave  been  broken  up  or  otherwise  disposed 
of  shortly  afterwards. 

Capt.  Josepu  Olney  was,  we  believe,  a  native  of  Rhode 
Island.  In  1752  he  was  one  of  five  citizens  of  Providence 
who  were  appointed  to  have  the  care  of  the  town  school-house. 
Previous  to  the  Revolution,  he  kept  for  many  years  the  princi- 
pal public  house  in  Providence.  On  the  22d  December,  1775, 
he  was  appointed  by  Congress  a  lieutenant,  and  on  the 
10th  October,  1776,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain. 
He  does  not  appear  to  have  had  any  counnand  after  the 
loss  of  the  Cabot,  lie  probably  retired  to  Providence  and 
died  there. 

(,)  The  Mii.FOBD  was  registered  as  a  sixth-rate,  carried 
28  guns,  and  was  built  in  1759.  In  1702  she  was  commanded 
by  Robert  Mann,  2d,  and  on  the  7th  day  of  March,  when  on  a 
cruise  in  tlie  bay,  she  fell  in  with  and  engaged  the  letter-of- 
marque  La  Gloire,  from  Bordeaux,  bound  to  St.  Domingo, 
l.ierced  for  20  guns,  but  had  only  16  six-pounders,  and  10 
swivels  mounted,  with  a  crew  of  94  men.  Capt.  Mann  receiv- 
ing a  mortal  wound  in  the  early  part  of  the  iutiun.  the 
command  devolved  upon  Lieut.  Day,  who  fought  his  ship  with 


<i 


64 


N0TE8. 


III 


great  bravery,  until  he  fell  severely  woundetl.  Ilis  place  was 
then  supplied  by  Lieut.  Nash,  who  continued  the  engagen>ent 
with  spirit,  and  at  length  compelled  liis  opponent  to  strike  his 
colors.  The  La  Gloire  lost  her  mainmast  in  the  action,  had 
her  rigging,  sails  and  hull  cut  to  pieces,  and  G  of  her  crew 
killed  and  18  wounded.  The  Milford,  beside  her  captain  and 
first-lieutenant,  had  2  killed  and  13  wounded.  In  1763  the 
Milford  was  commanded  by  Capt.  J.  Reynolds,  and  was  in 
service  on  the  coast  of  Africa ;  in  1766  Thomas  Curnwell  was 
appointed  to  her,  and  in  1770  she  was  at  Woolwich,  i)robably 
undergoing  repair.  In  the  year  1775  Captain  John  iUirr  was 
appointed  to  command  lier,  and  in  1776  she  came  to  America. 
In  the  month  of  Juno  following,  while  cruising  off  Cape  Ann, 
she  fell  in  with  and  captured  the  American  privateer  Yap'.vce 
Hero,  commanded  by  Captain  Tracy,  of  Newburyport,  after  a 
severe  engagement  of  nearly  two  glasses.  In  the  contest  the 
Yankee  Hero  had  four  of  her  crew  killed  and  fourteen 
wounded.  Capt.  Tracy  was  wounded  in  the  leg.  Lieutenant 
Main  was  badly  injured,  and  Mr.  Rowe,  of  Cape  Ann,  sus- 
tained tlie  loss  of  an  arm.  In  the  month  of  September,  while 
on  a  crnise  off  Cape  Sable,  tiie  Milford  fell  in  with  the  Provi- 
dence, of  28  guns,  commanded  by  Captain  Paul  Jones,  An 
engagement  ensued,  and  continued  for  several  liours,  when 
her  opponent  was  compelled  to  sheer  off.  At  the  close  of 
the  year  she  fell  in  with  the  Alfred,  of  28  guns,  to  which 
vessel  Capt.  Jones  had  recently  becji  appointed.  An  action 
took  place  and  lasted  for  some  time,  when  the  Alfred,  avail- 


.NOTKS. 


65 


ing  herself  of  a  hard  gust  of  wind  which  arose,  succeeded 
in  effecting  lier  escape.     Tn  March,  1777,  the  Milford  chased 
the  14-gun  brig  Cabot,  Capt.  Joseph  Olney,  ashore  on  tlie 
coast  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  in  June,  1778,  being  then  under  the 
orders  of  Sii  Wm.  Burnaby,  and  attached  to  the  fleet  off 
Bre«t  under  Admiral  Kcppel,  she,  in  company  with  another 
vessel,  compelled    the  French  frigate  Licorne,   of  32  guns, 
to  haul  down  her   colors.      In  August,  1779,  she  was  one 
of  the   Channel   fleet   under   Sir   Charles   Hardy,    and    was 
att::ched  to  the  centre  division  in  line  of  battle.     In  1780, 
Capt.  Philip  Pattou  was  appointed  to  her,  and  under  him 
she    formed   one   of   tho   Channel    fleet    in    Torbay,    under 
command   of  Vice-admiral  George  Darby.     Having  become 
leaky  and   in  need   of  great    repair,    Capt.  Patton  quitted 
her,  and  she  was  soon  after  broken  up.    Her  place  in  the 
navy  was  supplied  by  a  74-gun  ship,  which  we  find  build- 
ing in  the  year  1799.  .       ■    - 

John  Bcitn,  who  we  believe  commanded  this  frigate  at  the 
time  refer;  ed  to  in  the  narrative,  was  made  lieutenant  in 
the  year  1758;  raised  to  commander,  Sept.  13,  17G9,  and 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain  on  tbe  15th  day  of 
October,  1773.  In  1770  he  commanded  tho  sloop  Hound, 
of  14  guns,  and  in  1775  was  appointed  to  the  Milford 
frigate,  of  28  guns,  which  appears  to  have  been  his  last 
command.  He  died  (says  Schomberg,  vol.  v.,  p.  340)  in 
the  year  1784. 


I  il 


ir  ''f 
! 


I' I    A 


66 


NOTKS. 


III 


■  'a 

If . 


I 


'  I 

I    »  I 
,1 


(i.)  The  following  particulara  we  take  from  the  papers  of  the  day : 

"Halifax,  July  12. 

This  Day  arrived  his  Majesty's  Ship  Rainbow,  Sir 
Georfre  Collier,  having  brought  into  this  Harbour,  the  IIa\- 
cocK  Frigate^  commanded  by  Mr.  Mauley  ;  the  following  are 
some  Particulars  relative  to  the  meeting  the  Rebel  Squadron 
under  Mauley,  by  his  Majesty^s  Ship  liainbotc,  commanded  by 
Sir  George  Collier. 

/^N  Sunday  the  0th  July,  at  Half  past  4  in  the  Afternoon 
^-"^  (Cape  Sanibro'  then  bearing  X.  E.  about  12  or  13  Leagues) 
we  discovered  three  Sail  from  the  Mast-head,  which  we  ininie 
diatcly  gave  ehace  to,  but  from  the  Distance  could  form  no 
Judgment  of  their  Force,  or  what  they  were;  the  Victor  Brig 
was  at  thiiH  Time  in  Company,  three  or  four  Miles  astern,  and 
as  her  Rate  of  sailing  was  mucli  inferior  to  that  of  the  Rain- 
bow, we  made  Signal  for  her  to  make  more  Sail,  being  apprc- 
jiensive  otiierwiso  of  separating  from  her ;  at  Snn-set  we  had 
gained  so  much  on  the  Cliace,  as  to  discover  they  were  large 
Ships,  standing  as  we  were  close  on  a  Winrl,  which  was  at 
W.  N.  W..  and  seemed  to  us  a  conclusive  Proof  that  they 
were  bound  to  some  of  the  Ports  in  New-England ;  we  con- 
tinued the  Chace,  and  nt  Daun  of  Day  in  the  Morning  saw 
them  again  about  three  Points  on  the  "Weather-Bow,  with  a 
Sloop  in  Coiiij)any :  the  i)rest  Sail  we  had  carried  all  Night, 
had  ciicrcased  the  Distance  from  the  Victor  Brig  so  mucli, 
that  she  wa;-:  no  lor.ger  discernable  from  the  Mast-head : — Tlie 


j^ftMa?:- 


^fmrnem 


XOTKS. 


G7 


Sliijis  wc  wero  in  C'liace  of,  were  about  live  ^^  six  Miles 
distant,  ami  from  many  Circumstances  wo  had  no  cioubt  were 
jtart  of  the  lie'-  '  Fleet,  who  had  sailed  some  Time  Lefore 
from  Boston  under  the  command  of  Mr.  Manlcy  ;  continuing 
the  Chace,  and  gaining  u[)on  them,  they  quitted  their  Prize 
Sloop  and  set  her  ou  Fire,  going  otl"  in  a  regular  Line  of 
Ihittle-a-head,  and  setting  Top-gallant  Royals,  and  every  Sail 
that  could  be  useful  to  them. 

A  little  after  six  A.M.  another  Sail  was  discovered,  stand- 
ing towards  the  llehel  Shii)s ;  she  crossed  u.s  on  the  contrary 
Tack,  at  about  four  Miles  Distance ;  and  put  about,  when  she 
could  fetch  their  AV'akcs ;  from  her  not  making  the  ju'icufc 
Signal,  wo  had  no  doubt  but  tiiat  she  was  another  of  fho 
liebel  Frigates,  and  t'lereforc,  Si>'  Geonjc  paid  no  liegard  to 
an  English  red  Ensig.i  she  hoist'^d,  and  two  CJuns  she  fired  to 
the  Leewaul. 

About  Ten  in  the  Morning,  the  Enemy's  Ships  went  .uv ay 
lasking  ;  and  three  Quarters  of  an  Hour  afterwards,  we  were 
surjirized  to  sec  several  Shot  exchanged  between  the  Stern- 
most  of  them,  and  the  Stranger  mIio  had  last  joined,  and 
whom  we  had  hitherto  looked  upon  as  another  of  their  Fleet ; 
we  then  hoisted  our  Colours,  and  soon,  afterwards  the  two 
Stcrnmost  of  the  Ilebel  Frigates  liawled  their  Wind,  whilst 
the  Headmost  kept  away  about  two  Points  from  it;  this 
brought  the  English  Ship  (which  we  afterwards  found  to  be 
the  Flora)  more  a  bre:nt  of  them,  and  she  i)assed  them  to  the 
Windward,  cxcliaiiging  a  l5ron(Nido  wlti'.  eacli,  a;r.l  i)ni--;ning 


es 


NOTKS. 


rii  ■, 


I  I 


tlie  Fugitive,  who  from  the  Alteration  two  or  tliree  Times  of 
lior  Course,  seemed  uiicti'tiiiii  whieli  to  steer :  Tiic  Flora 
gaiucil  fast  upon  lier,  \vliieh  slic  perceiving,  liawled  her  "Wind 
again,  and  soon  afterwards  tacked  and  stood  after  her  Com- 
rades, exclmr:  ^"  a  •'  l-sido  with  tlic  Flora  as  they  passed 
each  other, 

AVc  were  just  ;  ••  5  ,  it>out  after  the  two  Ships,  when  wo 
observed  this,   which  niati  stand  on  something  longer, 

hifore  wo  tacked,  hoping  to  get  iier  within  reach  of  our  Guns 
as  she  passed  us :  AVo  accordingly  did  so,  hut  had  not  the 
good  Fortune  to  bring  down  cither  a  Mast  or  Sail  by  our  Fire. 
,.  "We  tacked  immediately  after  her,  and  soon  afterwards  saw 
the  head-most  Rebel  Frigate  put  about,  and  pass  us  just  out 
of  Gun-shot  to  Windward  ;  she  appeared  a  very  fine  Ship  of 
34  Guns  and  had  Rebel  Colours  liying ;  one  of  the  Gentlemen 
on  the  Quarter  Deck  had  been  a  Prisoner  lately  at  Boston, 
and  knew  her  to  be  the  Ilancocl;  on  board  of  whom  ManUy 
commanded,  who  is  the  second  in  Rank  in  the  Rebel  Army,* 

The  Ship  wo  had  fired  upon,  out  sail'd  us  fast ;  and  soon 
lifter  our  tacking  kept  away  lasking ;  whilst  the  other  Frigate 
standing  as  wc  did,  kept  her  Wind ;  we  then  found  that  one 
of  the  three  must  unavoidably  escape,  if  they  steered  thus, 
ditVerent  Courses;  Sir  George  tlicreforo  judgVl  it  best  to  put 
about  after  the  Ilancocl;  who  appeared  the  largest  Ship,  the 
Rainbow,  passed  the  Flora  very  near,  who  contiinied  pursuing 
the  Ship  we  had  fired  upon, 

*  Intondpil  for  Navy.-V.r\. 


h 


■wn 


\mm'>ii' 


NUTKS. 


69 


it  was  about  two  o'clock  in  the  Afternoon  (of  Monday  the 
Vth  of  July)  that  wo  tack'd  after  Mr.  Manley,  who  sccni'd  at 
first  rather  to  out-sail  the  liainhow,  but  we  understood  after- 
wards that  to  endeavour  making  her  sail  better,  he  started  his 
Water  forward,  and  by  tliat  Means  put  her  out  of  Trim:  An 
Hour  before  the  close  of  Day,  he  altered  his  Course,  and  kept 
away  large,  wo  however  got  so  near  to  him  before  Dark,  as 
enabled  us  (by  Means  of  a  Night  Glass)  to  keep  Sight  of  him 
all  Xight: — At  Dawn  of  Day  she  was  not  nuich  more  than  a 
Mile  ahead  of  us,  soon  after  Avhicli  we  saw  a  small  Stiil  to  Lee- 
ward, which  wo  found  to  bo  the  Victor  Brig,  who  as  wo 
pass'd  fired  into  the  Rebel  Frigate  and  killed  one  of  the  Men 
at  the  AVheel,  but  was  not  able  for  bad  sailing  to  keep  up  o, 
cojne  near  any  more.  About  four  in  the  Morning  we  beg.iu 
firing  tho  JJoAv  Chaco  upon  her,  with  occasion9d  Broadsi 
loaded  with  round  and  Grape,  as  we  could  bring  them  to  bear, 
some  of  which  struck  her  Masts  and  Sails.  At  half  past  eight 
wo  were  so  near  as  to  hail  her,  and  acquaint  them  that  if  they 
expected  Quarters,  they  must  strike  immediately ;  ^[anley 
took  a  few  Minutes  to  consider,  and  a  fresher  Breeze  just  then 
springing  up,  ho  availed  liimself  of  it,  by  attempting  to  set 
some  of  the  steering  sails  on  tho  otlier  side,  we  therefore  poured 
a  Number  of  Shot  into  him  which  brouglit  him  to  the  ex- 
pected Determination,  and  he  struck  the  IJebel  Colours  a  little 
before  9  o'clock  in  the  Morning,  after  a  Cliacc  of  upwards  of 
no  Hours. 

"We  immediately  took  Possrcssion  of  her,  and  sent  Part  of  the 


.<r^-" 


70 


NOTIi!?. 


i. 

It 


III 


I  I 


I'l'isoiicTS  oil  hoard  tlie  lliiiiiliow  ;  slie  pruvM  to  lio  I  he  llaii- 
C'jcli  of  :!4r  (iiiiis,  12  roiiiukTs,  and  liad  upwards  of  2'1'J  Moii 
on  hoard  ;  sIio  is  a  very  capital  and  hirgo  I'rigato,  is  ipiito  iww 
of  the  Stocks,  and  tiio'  from  lier  Foulness  and  their  Misniaiiage- 
inent  wc  canio  up  with  her.  yet  we  arc  informed  t!iat  >ho  is 
one  of  the  fastest  sailing;  Ships  ever  huilt. 

The  Prisoners  inform'd  us  that  the  Sliip  the  Flora  was  in 
(liase  of,  was  his  Majesty's  Ship  the  Fox,  of  2H  (!;!iis,  which 
Mauley  had  lately  taken  on  the  I'.anks  of  Xcw  Foitndlaiul, 
after  a  close  and  very  warm  Action  of  two  Hours;  the  otiicr 
Frigate  was  the  Boston,  of  30  Guns,  commanded  by  McNeill. . . 
Capt.  Fotheringhain  of  the  Fox,  and  -10  of  his  People  were  on 
hoard  tho  Hancock,  hut  his  OITicers  and  some  other  of  the 
^len  were  on  hoard  the  Boston  Frigate,  and  tho  Ilemainder 
ashore  at  Xew  Foundland. 

After  exchanging  the  Prisoners  we  found  it  necessary  from 
their  Number  being  almost  as  nniny  as  our  own  Sliip's  Com- 
pany, to  return  to  this  Port. 

Mauley  sccm'd  much  chagrinM  at  Iiis  not  having  engaged 
tiie  Rainbow,  Avhen  ho  found  she  was  hut  a  40  Gun  Sliip,  as 
lie  had  all  along  mistaken  her  for  the  Raisonable,  whom  lie 
knew  was  verv  latelv  at  Louisbourg. 


ir- 


"We  hear  the  Prize  Sloop  whidi  the  liel)el  Fleet  set  Fire  to 
when  chac'd  by  the  Itainbow,  was  call'd  the  Brittania,  and 
laden  with  coals  from  Louisbourg  for  Halifax,  Hinxman,  Master.'" 

Ga:nc,  JMon:  Aug:  t,  1777.    No.  13  1j. 


khiL: 


^•t)T^;^ 


71 


"  Nkw-Vukk,  Anj^'iist  4. 

AVcdiiesilny  last  tlio  Syrtii  Frigate  an'nud  hvw  {'mux 
Halifax,  and  lias  broiiglit  Capt.  Fotlicriii;:liam  of  tiio  I'ox,  mid 
altoiit  40  of  his  Scaiiioii,  with  Cajitairi  Mauley  and  his  first 
Ijeut.  llio  hitter  coniniandod  the  Tox  when  taken  hy  the 
l''h>ra.     We  hear  Mr.  ^fanloy  is  on  board  the  St.  Albans. 

A  letter  from  Halifax,  dated  the  l:ith  of  July,  says, 
'•  The  iiublic  Prints  will  inform  yon  of  the  retaking  of  the 
[•'ox  Frigate,  by  the  Flora,  Capt.  IJrisbane,  as  also  the  taking 
of  tl.o  Hancock,  Manley,  by  the  Ilainbow."' 

Gaine,  Mon :  Aug:  I,  1777.    A'o.  i;!l">. 
"  IJosTox,  April  -23. 

Last  Tuesday  arrived  in  town  from  Xew-York,  where 
he  has  long  been  held  a  prisoner,  the  brave  John  Manley  Es<i. 
late  Commander  of  the  Continental  Frigate  Hancock."' 

Holt's  IV.  Y.  Journal,  Mon.  Muy  1!),  177  . 
Sec  also 

Ccmpilation  frj  G.  S.  llanitr  fn.r.i  Official  Piipfis, 

Brit.  Naval  Chronicle,  Vol :  ll'J,  pp.  '2(;(;-40(). 

"Detail  iif  I'articulcir   Serviccn,  ^-f."   jntb :    bj 

llhiel  Town.  X.  Y..  Is;'.:.. 
Allen's  Battles  British  Navy,  vol.  i.  pp  :  2fJ-'.'ll. 


(,)  Halh-ax,  the  cnpital  of  Xova  "cotia,  was  settled  in 
lT4t^.  It  was  originally  called  Chebucto,  and  received  the 
name  of  Halifax,  in  honor  of  Lord  Halifa.x,  a  member  of  the 
Hritish  ministry.  The  city  is  on  the  west  side  of  Halifax 
harbor,  and  oi\  the  declivity  of  a  commanding  hill.  Its 
appearance  in  1700  is  thus  described  by  Alex.  Grant,   in  a 


1-2 


NOThSJ. 


rit 


hi 


f  ! 


letter  to  IIcv.  Dr.  Stiles,  dated  Halifax,  May,  1700,  (sec  Mass, 
Hist.  Collec,  1st  scries,  vol.  x.,  p.  TO.)  "  This  plaee  is  divided 
into  three  towns — Halifax,  Irislitown,  and  Dutehtown.  Tlic 
whole  may  contain  ahout  1,000  liouscs,  great  and  small,  many 
of  which  arc  employed  as  barracks,  liospitals  for  the  army 
and  navy,  and  other  publick  uses.  The  inhabitants  may  be 
about  three  thousand,  one-third  of  v.hich  are  Irish,  and  many 
of  them  lioman  Catholieks;  and  about  one-fourth  Gernums 
and  Dutch,  the  most  industrious  and  useful  settlers  among  us ; 
and  the  rest  English,  with  a  very  small  luimber  of  Scotch. 
AVo  have  ujiwards  of  one  hundred  licenced  houses,  and  perhaps 
as  many  more  which  retail  spirituous  liquors  without  licence ; 
so  that  the  business  of  one-half  of  the  town  is  to  sell  rum,  and 
of  the  other  half  to  drink  it.'' 

The  city,  at  the  present  day,  is  about  two  miles  in  length,  is 
well  laid  out  in  oblong  stpiares,  the  streets  parallel,  and  at 
right  angles.  Many  of  the  houses  are  of  wood,  plastered  and 
stuccoed,  but  many  also  are  liandsomely  built  of  stone. 
The  public  buildings  arc  substantial  structures.  The  popu- 
lation in  1852  wfis  2G,000,  and  the  total  value  of  exports 
$2,840,917. 

Queen's  Slip,  formerly  called  Governor's  Slip,  is  on  the  east 
side  of  the  city,  near  the  centre  of  the  original  town.  Here 
the  Governors,  on  their  arrival  from  Europe,  usually  landed. 
They  were  here  received  by  the  Council,  etc.,  and  were  thence 
escorted  to  the  Council  Chamber,  to  be  publicly  sworn  into 
office.     Hence  arose  its  name  '■  0  over  nor' 8  Slip.'''' 


Nr>TIS. 


73 


(lo)  Tliroiigh  the  courtesy  (if  M.  M.  .IiirkKo:i,  lv-(|.,  U.  S.  Consul  ut 
llulirikx,  the  following  particulars,  furnlHhcil  by  Keainisli  Munlock,  Ks(|., 
thu  llistorlaii  of  Nova  Scotiu,  hiivc  been  placed  at  our  coiumaml : 

"On  the  west  or  iipi>«.T  siile  of  I lollis  street,  not  far  from 
tlio  Ilaliftix  Hotel,  Hiiro  is  an  old  wooden  l)uildinjr,  now  in 
ruins,  wliich  is  known  as  tlic  OldJaif,"'  in  wliich  Etlicn  Allen, 
lion.  Jan.  I.ovell  and  others  arc  said  to  have  been  confined, 
and  which  is  thought  to  have  been  the  building  alluded  to  in 
tlie  text.  "  Tills  building,  as  ori^^"  lally  built,  was  a  long,  one- 
story  house,  with  a  sharj)  pitched  roof,  running  perhaps 
50  to  CO  feet  in  length  from  the  street  to  the  end  of  the  lot. 
It  stood  on  a  rongh  kind  of  stone  wall  which  elevated  it  a  few 
feet,  (perhaps  six  feet)  above  the  ground,  and  stejis  were 
attached  tc  the  building  outside,  not  on  the  street,  b\it  witbin 
the  enclosure.  It  was  nsed  as  a  prison  not  only  during  the 
Revolution  but  also  in  178((.  About  150  yards  from  the  Jail, 
stood  in  the  last  ccntHry,  a  brick  building  built  by  Malachi 
Salter,  which  was  at  one  time  nsed  as  a  Sugar  House.  It  was 
situated  at  the  corner  of  Salter  and  Pleasant  streets.  It  is  not 
known  toliavc  been  used  as  a  prison," 

The  following  notices  of  the  "  0/<Z  e/^n7,"  wo  take  from 
the  papers  of  the  day  : 

"  UosTON,  September  1. 

Our  American  I'lisouers  (to  the  Number  of:!])  are  coiifiued 
in  the  Common  Gaol  of  Halifax  (a  lousy,  liltliy,  unwholesome  IMace) 
and  arc  treated  in  tlic  most  inhuman  and  barbarous  Manner  possible, 
having  nothing  to  live  upon  but  salt  Provisions  (and  that  very  scanty) 


CsSSr"-'^ 


i 

I    r 


:t 


xorr.-!. 


tlii-oivn  iii  among  Xcgroc*,  lIolilioiiJ.  .^c,  atiil  arc  toll,  tlioy  know  no 

distinetiou.'' 

J\'.  li.iinpshirc  Guzette,  S.it.,  Aug.  3,  17T(>. 

'•  Sai.km,  Jan.  10. 

Since  our  last  a  (\utol  arrivej  from  Halifax  with  npwaids  of 
lOD  prisonpi-s,  m.my  of  thciu  in  a  very  cmaciatcil,  siclsly  condition. 
l''ivc  of  the  number  which  canio  out,  died  on  tlio  passage." 

Pennsijlvatiij  Puc'ivt,  Ti'utrs.,  J-'i'b.  7,  ITf^l. 


ill       ' 

"  :  ! 


(n)  Til,?  l>(isT.>x  \v:is  ()!K>  of  t.lic  13  vessels  autiiorized  to  be 
liiiilt  1)\'  resolution  of  Congress  of  Dee.  13,  17T5,  and  was  one 
of  tlte  two  frigates  wliieh  were  ordered  by  that  resolve  to  Ise 
eonstrueted  in  Mussaeliiisctts.  She  mounted  24  guns,  and  was 
bunu'hed  at  or  near  iioston  in  1770.  Siic  was  plaecd  under 
the  command  of  Capt.  Heetor  MeXeil,  and  soon  after  sailed 
on  a  eruise.  She  was  in  company  with  the  IFancoek  in  June, 
1777,  when  the  Fox  frigate  was  taken,  and  also  at  the  tinie 
when  the  liainbow  was  first  discovered,  but  made  her  o.eca])c 
wltliont  aflordiug  her  comra  le  any  assistance.  After  her 
return  to  port,  she  was  placed  under  the  conniiand  of  Capt. 
Samuel  Tuc:ker,  and  continued  under  his  orders  as  long  as  she 
remained  in  the  American  service.  In  the  early  part  of  177S 
she  carried  .lohn  Adams  to  France,  he  having  been  a|)[)oiuted 
a  commissioner  in  place  of  Silas  Deane,  who  iiad  been  recalled. 
On  her  way  she  captured  three  very  valuable  prizes,  one  of 
which,  the  Martha,  was  laden  with  bale  goods  tr>  the  amount, 
as  was  su[)posed,  of  .£SO,OiiO.  As  Mr.  Adams  was  upon  urgent 
ba-iness,  the  Ho-ito:i  was  not,  able  to  re:nai.;  wilh  her  prize. 


,.   -i***-,-' 


NOTES. 


75 


iiiul  it  was  subsequently  retaken  by  the  Rainbow.  Tlic  Boston 
on  ]ior  voyage  made  several  narrow  escapes  from  destruc- 
tion. Among  other  dangers,  she  was  struck  by  lightning, 
which  shattered  her  mast  and  came  very  nigh  blowing  her  up, 
the  fire  when  extinguislied  having  nearly  reached  tlie  maga- 
zine of  powder.  She  reached  Bordeaux,  however,  on  the  1st 
April,  in  safety,  and  in  consequence  of  the  treaties  of  connnerco 
and  alliance  having  been  signed  before  the  arrival  of  Mr- 
Adams,  that  gentleman  soon  returned  in  her  to  America.  On 
tlio  Oth  Aug.,  1770,  tiie  Boston,  in  company  with  the  ship 
Doano,  Capt,  Samuel  Xicholson,  cai)tured  off  the  capc?^  of 
Virginia,  the  ship  G'encairn,  from  Glasgow,  of  20  guns  and 
30  men  ;  on  the  12th  took  the  Sandwich  packet  from  Xcw 
York,  bound  to  Falmouth,  Eng.,  of  IG  guns  and  GO  men  ;  on 
the  23(1  made  a  prize  of  the  brigantinc  Venture,  from  Madeira, 
of  2  guns  and  20  men  ;  and  on  the  24-th  captured  the  Thorn, 
of  18  guns,  but  mounting  only  1+,  and  having  a  crew  of  135 
m-'u.  During  the  latter  part  of  1779  and  the  tore  part  of  178it, 
the  Boston  formed  one  of  the  squadron  of  Commodore  Abra- 
ham Whipple,  that  cruised  along  the  Houthcrn  coast,  capturing 
a  innnbcr  of  merchant  vessels.  AVliilo  thus  employed,  she, 
with  other  American  ships,  on  the  appearance  of  the  ]$ritisli 
Heet,  put  into  Cliarleston,  S.  C,  for  safety,  and  on  the  surren- 
der of  the  city,  ^lay  12,  1780,  slio  was  one  of  the  vessels  that 
were  captured  by  the  enemy. 

G.M'T.  lliarroi:  MiNicii.  was  appointed  iiy  C'ongiess   to  the 
counnand  of  the  Boston  frigate,  .June  15,  1770.     lie  was  with 


^it    ' 


70 


XoTErf. 


;/  ; 


v.- 


iii'i 


1 1 


Cajil.  Manly  lit  tlio  takiiifx  of  the  Fux,  Imt  wla'ii  tlio  Ilaiiiltow 
and  riitra  liovo  iii  viow,  ho  soii^lit  liis  own  safety  in  ll'iLrlit, 
rendering  Iiis  coinpanidn  no  assistance  wiiatover.  A  court- 
martial  was  sliortly  afterwards  lield  iqion  liis  cuiulin't,  wIk'Ii 
lieing  found  guilty  of  I'dwunlico,  he  was  dismissed  tlic  service 
fort  hwi  til. 

(ij)  TiiH  is  not  tlic  only  ocoaHion  whi'ii  a  deceased  American 
prisoner  was  so  interred.  We  give  another  instance,  occurring  much 
nearer  lionic. 

"On  the  4th  day  of  Feb.,  IStl,  some  workmen,  while 
engaged  in  digging  away  an  emliaiikmont  in  Jackson  street, 
near  the  Xavy  Yard,  accidentally  discovered  a  (juantity  <»f 
human  bones,  amon;:  wiiich,  horrible  to  relate,  was  a  skeletoii, 
iiaving  a  pair  of  iroi>,  nxtti'ich's  stiJl  upon  the  irriufs."' 

TiKnnpson's  Hitt.  of  Long  Iilaml,  vol.  i.,  i).  '21 1. 


II 


(la)  The  GiiKviiocM)  was  registered  as  a  sixth-rate,  carried 
2i  guns,  and  was  built  about  the  year  1775,  as  successor  to  a 
20-gun  shii»  which  was  broken  up  about  that  time.  In  the 
year  177f»,  our  vessel  was  placed  under  the  command  of  C'apt. 
Archibald  Dickson,  and  ordered  to  Xorth  America.  She  pro- 
ceeded to  Halifax,  Xova  Scotia,  where  she  took  General  Howe 
on  board  as  a  passenger,  and  tlien  sailed  for  Xew  York, 
arriving  at  Sandy  Hook  on  the  2otli  day  of  June.  In  the 
month  of  August  following,  she  co-operated  with  the  iJritish 
army  In   the  reduction  of  New  York,   and   was    one  of  the 


I:     I 


NOTES. 


I  I 


tVigates  stntioncj  in  Gravescnd  Buy  on  tlie  22(1  of  tliat  month, 
to  cover  the  landing  of  the  troops.  In  1779  slio  was  one  of 
tlio  sijuadron  of  8ir  George  Collier,  aial  in  the  month  of  Angiist, 
assisted  iu  the  signal  destruction  of  the  American  siiuadron, 
under  Commodore  Saltonstal,  in  Penobscot  13ay,  soon  after 
which  slie  returned  to  England  witli  despatches.  In  tiie  latter 
part  of  tlie  year  she  composed  one  of  the  fleet  of  Sir  George 
i>.  llodney,  in  tlic  West  Indies,  at  which  time  slie  wa-*  under 
tlie  orders  of  Capt.  William  Fookes,  who  was  succeeded  ia 
conunand  of  her  by  Cajit.  William  Fox.  Under  the  latter 
ollicer  the  Greyhound  was  lost  upon  the  South  Sand  Head  in 
the  year  1781.  ller  crew  were  saved.  She  was  succeeded  iu 
the  service  hy  a  3()-gun  frigate  of  the  same  name,  which  we 
llnd  building  at  IJetts'  Yard,  in  Mistleythorne,  in  the  year  1783. 


(ii)  Aim  iiiiiAi.i)  DicKsox  was  made  lieut.,  Sept.  10,  l75',t; 
commander,  Jan.  10,  1771 ;  and  raised  to  rank  of  ca[)t.  in  177;>. 
In  1771)  he  was  appointed  to  the  (ireyhuund  frigate,  and  con- 
tinued in  iier  for  the  usual  jieriod.  lie  carried  home  the 
particulars  of  the  destruction  of  the  American  fleet  in  Tenol)- 
scot  Bay,  and  was  presented  by  the  British  Admiralty  with 
i,'500  for  the  intelligence  he  brought.  In  1783  he  connnanded 
the  Dublin,  of  7-1  guns  ;  in  1787  the  Goliali,  of  the  same  force, 
then  employed  as  a  guard-ship ;  and  in  1793  the  Egmont,  also 
of  74  guns,  lie  was  made  rear-admiral  of  the  white  in  1794-, 
vice-admiral  of  the  blue  in  17!*"),  admiral  of  the  bhu'  in  18ol, 
and  .\pril  lo,  l.S(i2,  was  created  a  baronet.     He  <lied   iu  tin' 


78 


NOTK^:. 


spring  of  ISO,").     Sir  Aicliibalil  Dicksor,  lU.,  was  tlic  brotlior 
of  William  Dickson,  admiral  of  tlio  l/iiio.  who  died  in  1803. 


Iii'i 

II' 


•  " 


(lo)  The  Vi-i.Tn:E  was  a  British  sloop-of-war,  carrying 
1-4  guns,  and  was  built  about  the  year  1770.  She  was  placed 
under  the  orders  of  James  Feattus,  and  formed  ono  of  tlio 
llect  of  Vice-admiral  Lord  Howe.  She  continued  under  Feattus 
until  1770,  when  Andrew  Sutherland  was  appointed  to  com- 
mand her.  In  the  summer  ot  this  year  she  formed  on3  of  the 
squadron  of  Sir  (Jcorge  Collier  that,  in  conjunction  witli  a  land 
f  rco  under  Gen.  Vaughan,  captured  Stony  Point  and  Ver- 
planck's  Point,  on  the  Hudson.  In  the  month  of  September 
of  the  following  ye.".',  she  conveyed  Major  Andre  up  the  North 
Itiver  to  liold  tho  interview  with  Arnold,  and  was  the  vessel  in 
which  that  arch  traitor  made  his  escaiie  to  the  British  lines. 
In  1782  she  was  at  Jamaica,  and  was  commanded  by  "Walter 
Griffith,  and  in  tho  latter  part  of  the  year  following  she  was 
at  Portsmouth.  In  1703  slie  was  reported  as  a  hulk,  and  she 
appears  to  have  been  broken  up  or  otherwise  disposed  of 
shortly  afterwards. 

James  Fkatti's  was  mado  iout,,  xl'-l',  r  !  ^  romoted  to 
comm.^nder,  July  7,  1701.  In  1775  ho  commanded  the  sloop 
Speedwell,  and  in  1770  was  appointed  to  tho  Vulture.  lie 
died  about  the  year  17'  ">. 


(,r,)  John'  Byijo.v,  second  son  of  Williani,  the  fourth  Lord 
Byron  by  Frances,  his  third  wife,  2(1  daughter  of  AVilliam  Lord 


B7Hi*arr 


m^ 


i\oTi:>. 


79 


Herkoley,  of  Stratton,  was  born  "Sow  8,  17'2:l.  lie  served  as 
a  inid^hipinan  under  Commodore  Anson  on  his  voyage  round 
tlie  world,  and  had  tlio  misfortune  to  be  cast  away  in  tlic 
"W'aj^er,  on  a  desolate  island,  off  the  coast  of  Chili,  where  ho 
sufl'ered  great  hardships,  an  affecting  account  of  which  will  bo 
found  in  hid  "  Xarrativc,"  to  which  we  refer  the  reader.  On 
the  30tli  Doc,  17-i(),  he  was  made  post-captain,  and  appointed 
to  the  Syren  frigate.  In  1753  he  commanded  the  Augusta,  of 
CO  guns,  and  in  1757  the  America,  of  the  same  force.  In  the 
s[>ring  of  17(J0  he  commanded  the  Fame,  of  74  guns,  and  u'as 
employed  in  the  scjuadrou  which  co-operated  with  tlio  army  at 
the  conquest  of  Canada,  where  he  rendered  important  service. 
In  1704  ho  made  a  voyage  to  the  South  Sea,  and  on  the  3d 
June,  17C9,  was  ajipointed  Governor  of  Xewfoundland.  In 
March,  1775,  ho  was  made  Rear-ad.  of  the  blue,  and  in  ^lay, 
1777,  Hear  of  the  white.  In  Jan.,  1778,  he  was  made  Yice-ad. 
of  tlio  blue,  and  was  soon  after  appointed  to  the  connnand  of 
a  largo  .siiuadron,  and  ordered  to  Xortli  America,  lie  sailed 
on  the  0th  of  June,  and  on  the  3(1  of  Ju'y,  a  violent  galo  ot 
wind  arose,  which  dispersed  his  squadron.  Admiral  Uyron, 
witli  his  flag  on  board  tho  Princess  lioyal,  arriving  alone  off 
Sandy  Hook  on  tho  18th  of  August.  lie  thence  sailed  for 
Halifax,  where  be  found  ono  of  his  squadron  that  had  arrive  ' 
before  bini.  The  remaining  ships  caino  in  ono  by  one, 
sickly  crews  and  damaged  rigging.  lie  was  tbonco  orden  > 
the  West  Indies,  and  his  action  there  with  D'Estaing,  Jn'^  <i, 
1770,  though  undecisive,  was  honorable  to  the  Ijritish    net. 


80 


XOTi:;:. 


Soon  after  this  event  lie  returned  to  England  and  stnu'k  liis 
Hag.  Ho  was  raised  to  Vice-ad.  of  tlie  wliite,  Hejit.  fi,  1780, 
nnd  died  in  London,  April  10,  iVSfi,  in  his  G3d  year.  Though 
a  gallant,  zealous  and  accomplished  ofticor,  he  was  extremely 
unfortunate,  having  always  the  elements  to  contend  with 
instead  of  the  enemy.  Admiral  Hyron  had  a  family  of  2  sons 
and  7  daughters,  by  Sarah,  daughter  of  John  Trevannion,  Esq., 
of  Cartrays,  Cornwall,  whom  ho  married  in  17J:8.  Capt. 
l>yron,  one  of  iiis  sons,  was  father  to  the  celebrated  poet. 


r^  J 


(,i)  The  Phi N(  less  llov.vi.  was  registered  as  a  2d  rate,  car- 
ried 98  guns,  and  was  built  at  Portsmouth  in  17":}.  Her 
length  of  gun-deck  was  177  ft.  0  in.,  of  keel,  1-15  ft.  5  in., 
breadth,  50  fl  0  in.,  depth  in  hold,  21  ft.,  tons,  1,07;}.  In  1777, 
on  the  prospect  of  a  rupture  witii  France,  Capt.  Mark  Milhank 
was  appointed  to  command  her ;  in  May  Vicc-iidmiral  Byron 
lioisted  his  flag  on  board,  and  on  the  5th  of  June  of  the  follow- 
ing year,  she  sailed  in  a  strong  s(piadron  for  America.  In 
1770  she  was  commanded  by  Capt.  William  Blair,  and  on  the 
Cth  of  July  was  in  the  action  off  Grenada  with  the  French 
fleet,  under  D'Estai.ig,  wh.cn  she  Iiad  3  of  lior  crew  kllied  and 
0  wounded.  She  returned  home  soon  after.  In  Dec.  she  bore 
the  Hag  of  Kcar-ad.  Ilyde  Parker,  and  in  the  following  year 
com^.o.scd  one  of  tlie  fleet  of  Sir  George  Rodney,  in  the  actions 
with  the  French  fleci.  under  Comte  de  Ciiiichen.  in  1781  she 
was  stationed  at  Jamaica,  and  she  returned  home  in  November. 
In  1782  she  was  nndiT  the  (irders  of  Jonathan  Faulkner,  and 


NOTES. 


8L 


ill  Sept.  t'ulluwiiig,  sailed  in  the  llect  of  Lord  llowo  to  liio 
relief  of  (lihrultiir.  In  tlio  action  with  the  French  and  Simnish 
fleets  otV  Cai)e  Spartel,  on  the  20lti  Oct.,  she  had  a  crew  of  750 
men,  and  occnpied  the  1st  or  stai board  division  in  the  centre 
s(inadron  in  line  of  battle,  which  was  under  the  innnediato 
orders  of  the  commander-in-chief.  In  Jan.,  1783,  she  was  at 
I'ortsmouth,  composing  one  of  the  lleet  on  that  station,  under 
Sir  Tliomas  Pye,  Admiral  of  the  white.  In  17!)0,  on  a  rui)tnre 
with  Spain  being  apprcliendcd,  Sir  "William  Ilotham  hoisted 
Ills  flag  on  board  her  as  commander  of  the  rear  division  of  the 
Channel  fleet,  but  the  dispute  being  acconunodatcd,  the  fleet 
was  dismantled,  and  Admiral  Ilotham  struck  liis  flag.  In 
179;]  she  was  one  of  the  scpiadrou  of  Vice-admiral  Cosl)y  ;  in 
the  following  year  was  under  the  orders  of  John  Child  Purvis, 
and  formed  one  of  the  ^leditcrranean  fleet,  under  T.ord  Hood. 
In  I7t).j  Ilear-ad.  Goodall  had  Jiis  flagon  board  lier,  and  slic 
bore  a  i>art  in  the  engagements  with  the  French,  March  11 
anil  July  IHtli,  occupying,  in  the  first  engagement,  the  st.ar- 
board  division  in  the  van  hipiadron,  and  having  a  crew  of  700 
men,  of  which  8  Averc  killed  and  8  wounded.  In  1790,  being 
tlieii  still  under  Capt.  Purvis,  she  bore  the  flag  of  Vice-ad. 
Uol)ert  Linzec,  who  was  commander  of  a  sipuidron  in  the 
Mediterranean,  under  Sir  John  Jervis,  Admiral  of  the  blue.  In 
the  following  year  she  Avas  under  the  orders  of  Capt,  l.)!in 
Draper,  and  was  tlie  flag-ship  of  Sir  John  Orde,  Rear-admiral 
of  the  white.  In  1799  Capt.  J.  "\V.  T.  I*ickson  was  in  com- 
mand of  her,  at  which   time   she  bore  llie  Hag  of  Pear-ad. 


''I 


82 


NOTKS. 


I!  » 


TlioiUiis  I,.  FreiltM'ick,  and  in  .Jnly  slic  returned  lionio  and 
went  into  repair.  Alter  coming  out  of  dock,  Tlionms  M.  Iius- 
sel  was  aiii>ointcd  to  lier,  and  in  1800  slic  was  one  oi'  tlie  lloet 
of  Admiral  Lord  IJridport,  employed  on  liomc  service.  In 
1801  slic  was  imder  the  orders  of  Cai)t.  D.  Atkins,  and  was 
the  flag-ship  of  Sir  Erasmns  Gower,  who  hold  a  connnand  in 
the  Cl:annel  fleet;  in  1803  she  was  under  Capt.  James  Vashon, 
and  in  the  year  after  Avas  refitting  at  Chatham.  In  1800  she 
was  commanded  by  Capt.  II.  C.  Iteynolds,  and  she  appears  to 
have  been  broken  up  or  otherwise  disposed  of  about  the 
year  1810, 

Mai!k  Mii.nANK-,  said  by  some  to  have  commanded  this  ship 
at  tliis  time,  was  tlie  3d  son  of  Ualpii  Milbank,  Bt.,  of  llalnaby, 
York  Co.,  and  was  born  about  1721.  Jle  was  made  com- 
mander Sept.  13,  ITK!,  and  capt..  May  21,  1748.  lie  was 
advanced  to  Rear-admiral  of  the  white,  Marcli  I'.t,  1770,  to  Vice 
of  the  blue,  Sept.,  20,  1750,  and  in  1793  became  a  full  admiral. 
He  died  •  'i  the  10th  June,  1805,  from  a  fall  over  the  stair- 
case of  Jiis  Jioiisc.  in  the  84th  year  of  his  age. 


«i(.)  ^iiJ  IiK';iAi!i>  llrciUKS  was  the  son  of  Sir  Ilivbard 
llnghes,  fur  many  years  commissioner  of  tlie  Dock  yard  at 
Portsmonth,  and  was  born  in  l)o|)tfonl,  Kent  Co.,  Kng.,  in 
1729.  Wiieii  yet  a  boy,  ho  went  to  sea  as  a  midsiiipnian,  witli 
Ills  fatiier,  and  i  i  1741  servoil  in  the  Mediterraneaii,  under 
Admiral  Mattliows.     So  young  was  lie  at  tiiis  time,  tiiat  lie 


•^ 


H 


■; 


KOTES. 


83 


was  iimU'r  tlio  iicpossity  of  shaving  liis  lioail  and  wearing  a 
wliig  to  obtain  a  inaiily  appearance.  In  1715  ho  was  made  a 
liout.,  anil  was  proinotoil  to  tlie  rank  of  captain,  Nov.  10,  IT")!!. 
He  subsequently  conunandecl  tlie  Fox  and  Tiianies  frigates, 
and  in  1708  was  appointed  to  tlie  Firn!,  of  GO  guns,  then  a 
guard-sliip  at  Plymontli,  After  quitting  tiiis  siiip,  lie  was  nuuie 
oapt.  of  the  Worcester,  of  04  guns,  and  in  1777  moved  into  the 
Centaur,  a  74,  tlien  employed  on  tlie  liome  station.  Ue  was 
afterwards  appointed  l.ieut.  Crovcrnor  of  Xova  Scotia  and  com- 
missioner of  the  Dock-yard  at  Halifax.  Tliis  statioa  he  filled 
until  his  promotion  to  Kear-ad.  of  the  blue,  Sept.  20,  1780, 
about  which  time  he  succeeded,  on  the  death  of  his  father,  to 
the  title  of  baronet.  iJnring  his  stay  at  Halifax,  hu  caused 
the  woods  to  be  Inspected  and  surveyed,  obtained  masts,  s[)ars 
and  other  naval  stores  for  the  government  dockyards,  on  the 
most  advantageous  terms,  and  his  conduct  otherwise  was  so 
meritorious,  that  on  his  return  home  he  was  lionored  by  the 
king  with  a  private  audience,  and  received  his  Majesty's 
thanks.  Ho  became  Vice-ad.  of  the  blue  in  1790,  and  on  the 
14th  Feb,  1799,  was  raised  to  Admiral  of  the  white.  He  died 
on  the  .'Jth  day  of -Tanuary,  1812.  Sir  Hichard  was  an  active 
and  gallant  oflieer,  and  in  priwatelife  possessed  all  the  qualities 
of  a  well-bred  gentleman.  He  had  a  taste  for  the  belles  Icttres, 
and  possessed  also  considerable  poetical  talent.  His  wife, 
to  whom  he  was  united  about  1700,  was  the  grand-niece  of  the 
celebrated  Sir  Hans  Sloane,  and  daughter  of  Hans  Sloano,  Esq., 
M.P.,  a  wealthy  and  respectable  Commoner. 


84 


NOTES. 


f.*. 


jl 


':) 


lin 


(ij)  Tlio  IIazaim)  w.is  a  British  sloop-of-\var,  iiiountinjr  8 
puns,  aiul  appears  to  liavc  been  built  about  1703.  In  1707 
she  vras  under  the  orders  of  I)eius  Every,  and  was  '.a  tlio 
fleet  of  Vice-admiral  lI<ill>urno,  on  lionio  service.  In  17C9  sho 
was  commanded  by  Tiios.  Tremblo,  and  was  at  Siieerness,  and 
in  1770  was  under  tlie  orders  of  Janio-i  Orrock,  wlio  was  suc- 
ceeded in  command  of  her  by  John  Ford.  In  177H  and  tho 
year  following,  she  was  commanded  by  Alex.  Agnew,  in  1780 
by  G.  A.  Pulteney,  and  in  tho  year  following  by  I.  Telle w. 
Slie  appears  to  have  been  removed  from  service  soon  after- 
wards. 

Ai-KXANDEU  A(i.\Kw  was  made  licut.,  Aug.  7,  17C1,  and 
raised  to  commander,  Xov.  20,  1771.  In  1779  he  commanded 
tiie  Hazard  sloop,  and  in  Hf^l  was  in  command  of  tlic  sloop 
Fury  of  10  guns.  IIo  .appears  to  have  died  or  retired  from  tho 
service  .about  17y2. 


(iu)  TuE  I  reach  fleet,  umlor  M.  D'Orvilliers,  consisting  of 
28  sail  of  tlic  line  and  sever.al  frigates,  sailed  from  IJrost, 
.lunc  -i,  1770,  for  Cadiz,  where  it  formed  a  junction  witii  tlio 
Spanish  fleet.  The  combined  fleet,  consisting  of  CO  sail  of  tho 
lino,  on  the  15th  Aug.  following,  escaping  the  notice  of  tho 
English  fleet,  under  Sir  Charles  Hardy,  then  cruising  in  tlio 
soundings,  sailed  up  the  English  Channel,  and  paraded  for  three 
days  before  Plymouth,  insulting  the  English  coast,  capturing 
several  coasting  vessels,  and  bidding  defiance  to  the  whole 


NOTES. 


85 


iijivy.     Tliis  circiiinstuncc  greatly  tarnished  the  luivul  charac- 


ter of  England. 


(ji)  The  PiaxcESS  Amelia  was  registered  as  a  3d  rate, 
carried  80  guns,  and  was  built  in  1757.  In  the  year  tbllowing 
slio  w.os  coniniandcd  by  Capt.  John  IJray,  and  composed  one 
of  the  lleet,  under  Adtniral  Boscawen,  at  tho  reduction  of 
Lcwisbourg  and  Quebec.  In  Sept.,  1759,  she  was  under  tiie 
orders  of  Stephen  Colby,  was  the  flagship  of  Thomas  Brode- 
rick,  IJear-ad.  of  the  white,  and  formed  one  of  the  fleet  of  Sir 
Edward  llawke  that  was  fitted  out  against  Iloehfort.  and  tho 
following  year  she  was  under  Capt.  .James  Montague,  in  Admi- 
ral IJoscawen's  fleet  in  Quiberon  Bay.  In  tho  spring  of  1701 
she  was  in  the  squadron  of  Cai)t.  Matthew  Buckle,  stationed 
olf  Brest,  to  prevent  supplies  being  sent  to  Belle  Isle,  and  the 
year  after  she  was  under  the  orders  of  Capt.  Viscount  Howe, 
was  the  fiagshi[)  of  the  Uuke  of  York,  and  composed  one  of 
tiie  fleet  sent  in  quest  of  M.  de  Ternay,  and  subsequently  one 
of  tlie  fleet  of  Sir  Charles  llurdy,  that  made  a  cruise  in  the 
bay.  In  1703  she  was  under  Cai>t.  II.  A.  Tyrrell,  and  in  1700 
was  at  rortsmouth.  We  find  her  on  that  station  until  1772, 
when  she  was  commanded  by  Capt.  Samuel  Marshall,  was  the 
flag-ship  of  Vice-ad.  fieo.  IJ.  Rodney,  and  stationed  at  JaTiiaica. 
In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  she  returned  home,  and  was  laid 
up  at  r((rtsmouth.  On  tlic  .approach  of  a  rn]»t;irc  with 
France,  which  took  pluce  in  1778,  Capt.  Digby  Dent  was 
api)ointed  to  her,  and  slie  formed  one  of  the  fleet  tiien  littinir 


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Hiotographic 

Sciences 
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23  MEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

(716)  872-4503 


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XOTKS. 


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*  • 


for  sea  at  Portsmontli,  at  which  tinif  8h-  Thomas  Pye  liad  his 
llajj;  uu  hoard.  In  IT^sO  she  was  commaiKk'd  hy  Capt.  John 
JlfCartiiey,  and  was  one  of  the  lleet  of  Admiral  Cieary,  tlioii 
cruising  in  the  Soundings,  and  the  year  after,  she  was  the  fhig- 
ship  of  Sir  Tlyde  I'arker,  and  horo  a  part  in  the  action  with 
tlie  Dutcli  fleet,  under  Ilear-ad.  Zontman,  off  the  Dogger  Baniv, 
Ang.  5.  In  this  engagement,  C'apt.  McCartney  and  a  gunner 
wcro  k\\  ^d  and  three  lieuts.  wounded.  After  the  deatli  of 
I.rcCartney,  the  command  of  the  ship  was  given  to  John 
MclJride,  and  she  returned  Jionio  soon  after  tho  battle.  In 
June,  1782,  being  tlien  under  tho  orders  of  ]}illy  Douglas,  slic 
formed  one  of  the  s<inadron  of  Lord  Howe,  cruising  in  tiio 
Xortii  Sea,  and  in  July  slio  was  cruising  witli  llowo  in  tho 
Soundings.  In  Octohei  slie  was  commanded  by  C'apt.  John 
Ileynolds,  was  tlic  flag  ship  of  Sir  Hichard  Hughes,  and  was 
one  of  the  fleet  of  Admiral  Lord  Howe,  that  sailed  to  tho 
relief  of  Gibraltar,  and  had  a  partial  action  oft"  Capo  Spartel 
with  the  French  and  Spanish  fleets.  On  this  occasion  she  was 
in  the  2d  or  starboard  division  in  tho  rear  sqnadron,  and  of  a 
crew  of  715  men,  had  4  killed  and  5  wounded.  She  was  sul)- 
sequently  on  duty  in  tho  "West  Indies,  under  John  AV.  rayiie, 
and  the  ye^r  after  returned  to  iMigland.  Slie  came  to  anchor 
at  Chatham,  where  she  was  turned  into  a  church  ship.  Slio 
Avas  used  in  that  capacity  until  about  17SS,  shortly  after  which 
she  was  broken  up.  Her  place  was  supplied  by  a  74-gun  ship 
of  the  same  name,  wiiich  in  1800  was  building  in  the  king's 
yard  at  Chatham. 


■iwtfcitiiwii  ww^M 


NOTES. 


87 


DioiiY  Dext  was  tlic  sou  of  Cupt.  Cotton  Doiil,  who  died  iii 
1701,  Olio  of  tlic  captains  of  (Jrcenwich  Hospital.  The  subject 
of  our  notice  was  niailo  capt.,  July  7,  17o8.  In  1778,  beinf; 
then  capt.  of  the  Princess  Amelia,  he  received  the  honor  of 
knifilithood  at  the  time  the  kin}?  reviewed  the  licet  at  I'orts- 
month.  On  the  24th  Sept.,  1787,  he  was  advanced  to  the 
rank  of  Tieur-adiniral,  and  placed  upon  the  superannuated  list, 
lie  died,  Xov.  15,  1798,  leaving  his  widow  and  eight  children 
in  very  distressed  circumstances. 


(■ij)  The  niMTAXNiA  was  a  British  ship  of  the  line,  registered 
as  a  1st  rate,  carrying  100  gnns,  and  was  built  at  Portsmouth, 
Eng.,  in  1702,  to  take  the  place  of  another  ship  of  the  same 
jianie  and  force,  which  was  about  that  time  abandoned.  The 
dimensions  of  our  vessel  were  as  follows:  length  of  gundecV, 
17H  feet ;  keel,  145  feet  2  in.;  breadth,  52  ft.  }.<  in. ;  depth  in 
hold,  21  ft.  0  in.;  tons,  2,091.  After  being  stationed  at  Ports- 
mouth for  several  years,  in  the  latter  part  of  1778,  Capt.  .John 
Moutray  was  appointed  to  her,  she  being  intended  as  a  llag- 
ship.  At  the  close  of  the  following  year,  we  faul  her  under 
the  command  of  Ca^it.  Charles  Morice  Polo,  and  the  Ihig-ship 
of  George  Darby,  Vicc-ad.  of  the  white,  he  being  at  that  time 
tlic  second  in  command  of  the  Channel  fleet,  under  Sir  Charles 
JIardy.  In  1780  she  was  under  the  orders  of  Capt.  James 
liradby,  and  was  tiio  Hag-ship  of  the  licet,  under  Vice-ad. 
Darby,  that  sailed  from  Spithead  on  the  14tli  day  of  ^larch, 
1781,  with  a  large  convoy  of  victuallers,  tran'^|)orts,  etc  ,  to  the 


88 


NOTES. 


hi 


lii 


^i 


relief  of  Gibraltar.  In  December  she  was  the  Ung-sbip  of 
Kicliard  Kempenfelt,  Ilear-ail.  of  the  white,  and  was  one  of  Lis 
squadron  which  on  the  13th  of  that  niontli  intercepted  the 
Frencli  West  India  convoy  that  Iiad  sailed  from  Brest  under 
the  command  of  M,  do  Guichen.  In  July,  1782,  being  then 
under  the  orders  of  Capt.  Benjamin  Hill,  she  formed  one  of  the 
fleet  of  Admiral  Lord  Howe,  cruising  in  the  Soundings,  at 
which  time  Samuel  Harrington,  Vice-ad.  of  the  white,  had  his 
flag  on  board  her.  She  subsequently  accompanied  Lord  Howe 
to  intercept  the  Dutch  squadron,  and  was  afterwards  at  the 
relief  of  Gibraltar.  In  the  subsequent  encounter  which  took 
I»lace  with  the  combined  fleets  of  Fiance  and  Si)ain,  off  Capo 
Si>artel,  Oct.  20th,  she  was  in  the  1st  or  starboard  division  in 
line  of  battle,  which  division  was  conniiandcd  by  Vice-ad. 
Harrington,  whose  flag-ship  she  then  was.  In  this  engage- 
ment, she  had  20  of  her  crew  killed  and  wounded.  After  this 
she  returned  to  England,  and  was  put  out  of  connnission.  On 
the  commencement  of  the  war  with  France,  in  1793,  she  was 
again  i>ut  in  service,  being  thou  under  the  orders  of  Capt.  John 
Hollo  way,  and  the  flag-ship  of  Vice-ad.  Lord  Ilotham,  who 
was  appointed  tiio  second  in  command  of  the  Mediterranean 
fleet,  under  Lord  Hood.  On  the  return  of  the  latter  to  Eng- 
land in  Xov.,  1794,  the  command  of  the  Sfpiadron  became 
invested  in  Vice-ad.  Hotliam,  who  was  eniploycd  during  the 
winter  in  watching  the  enemy's  ports,  scouring  tlieir  coasts, 
and  atlbrding  protection  to  British  commerce,  and  in  the 
montii  of  November,  of  tlie  fullov.ing  year,  she  returned  home, 


M 


NOTi:S. 


89 


and  was  again  laid  up.     la  Jiinnan-,  179C,  Capt.  Sluiklliaia 
Pearl  was  appointed  to  lier,  and  in  May  following  lie  was  suc- 
ceeded   by   Capt.   Thomas   Foley,   witii   Yicc-ad.   Sir  Ilydo 
Parkei-'s  flag.     In  April,  1797,  slic  was  the  Hag-ship  of  Ciiarles 
Thomson,  Vicc-aJ.  of  the  blue,  and  was  doing  duty  in  the 
Mediterranean,  being  ono  of  the  fleet  stationed  there,  under 
the  command  of  Sir  John  Jervis,  Admiral  of  the  blue.     In  tiic 
month  of  June,  Capt.  Edward  Marsh  was  appointed  to  com- 
mand her,  shortly  after  which  she  was  fitted  up  as  a  hospital- 
ship,  at  Portsmouth,  and  placed  under  the  orders  of  Lieut. 
Matthew  Connolly.     In  this  capacity  we  find  lier  in  the  year 
1798  and  1799,  and  perhaps  for  several  years  later.     In  the 
year  1803,  on  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  liaving  been 
thoroughly  overhauled,  sho  was  jdaced  under  the  commaiul 
of  Earl  Xorthesk,  and  proceeded  to  tlio  Channel,  where  she 
served  in  the  fleet  stationed  there  till  the  following  year,  when 
her  capt.,  being  promoted  Rear-ad.  of  the  white,  he  soon  after 
hoisted  his  flag  on  board  lier,  and  continued  on  the  same 
service  till  August,  1805,  when  he  was  detaahed  with  a  squad- 
ron, under  Sir  Robert  Caldcr,  to  reinforce  the  fleet  of  Admiral 
CoUingwood,  off  Cadiz.    Tiio  Britannia  was  subsequently  in 
the  engagement  oflt'  Trafalgar,  where  sho  was  the  4th  ship  in 
the  lee  line  in  action,  and  in  a  short  space  of  time  completely 
dismantled  a  French  ship  of  80  guns.     She  afterwards,  singly, 
engaged  and  kept  at  bay  three  of  the  enemy's  van  ships,  that 
were  attempting  to  double  upon  the  Victory,  at  that  time 
warndy  engaged  with  two  of  the  enemy,  and  mucli  disabled. 


00 


NOTE?. 


r 


Oil  tills  occiislon  the  loss  of  tiic  nritanniii  was  52  killed  and 
wonndod.  Soon  after  the  enpigenieiit,  the  Britannia  returned 
to  England,  and  was  not  ajjain  put  into  commission.  SIio 
appears  to  liave  been  broken  up  about  1813,  at  wliicli  time  wc 
find  building  at  Plymouth  a  120-gun  ship  of  the  same  name, 
the  successor  to  the  subject  of  our  notice. 

Cii.vni.i..-,  MoiMCE  Poi.E  was  the  2d  son  of  Reginald  Pole,  Ec(<., 
of  Stroke  Damarell,  and  Avas  born  Jan.  IS,  1Vj7.  IK-  was 
made  lieut.  in  1773,  and  obtained  post-rank,  March  22,  1770. 
Ho  was  made  Kcar-admiral  of  the  blue,  June  1,  17'J5,  Vice- 
admiral  in  1801,  and  knighted  about  the  same  time.  In  1805 
lie  was  raised  to  Admiral  of  the  blue,  and  in  1818  received 
the  Grand  Cross  of  the  Bath.     He  died  about  the  year  1830. 


(=3)  Siii  Thomas  Pvf,  was  made  Cai>t.,  April  13,  174-1.  In 
1745  he  was  one  of  the  members  of  the  court  martial  convened 
at  Port  Mahon  for  the  trial  of  Capt.  Ilichard  Norris.  lu  1748 
he  was  appointed  to  the  Xorwich,  in  the  following  year  to  the 
number,  and  in  the  year  after  was  one  of  the  members  of  the 
court  martial  held  for  the  trial  of  the  mutineers  on  board  the 
Chesterfield.  In  Feb.,  1752,  lie  was  appointed  to  the  Advice, 
of  50  guns,  and  sent  to  the  West  Indies  as  Commodore  on  that 
station.  He  continued  there  until  175G,  when  he  was  super- 
seded by  Commodore  Frankland.  Charges  having  been  made 
against  him  by  Mr.  Frankland,  our  oflicer,  in  1758,  was  brought 
to  a  court  martial  at  Portsmouth,  when  he  was  reprimanded 


XOTES. 


91 


for  iniscoiiduct.  In  July  followin;^  lie  was  inuilc  llcar-.iil.  of 
tlio  blue;  in  17o9,  Hear  of  the  white;  in  17C0,  Rear  of  the 
red;  and  in  1702,  was  advanced  to  Vice-ad.  of  the  blue.  In 
ITOi  ho  wa^  appointed  Port-admiral  at  Plymouth,  and  after 
serving  some  time  in  that  position,  was  again  sent  to  the 
Leeward  Island  station,  where  lie  remained  until  1770,  when 
he  returned  home.  On  the  28th  of  October  following,  he  was 
made  Vice-ad.  of  the  red,  and  early  the  succeeding  year  was 
sent  to  the  Mediterranean  as  commander  of  a  small  sfjuadron. 
On  his  return  home  he  was  appointed  commander-in-chief  at 
Portsmouth.  On  the  25th  of  June,  1773,  when  the  king 
reviewed  the  fleet  and  dockyards  at  that  station,  our  oflicer 
received  the  honor  of  knighthood,  and  was  raised  to  the  rank 
of  Admiral  of  the  blue.  On  the  28th  of  Jan.,  1778,  he  was 
advanced  to  Admiral  of  the  wliite,  and  in  the  same  year  he 
acted  as  President  of  the  court  martial  held  at  Portsmouth  for 
the  trial  of  Admiral  Keppel.  In  1779  he  again  commanded  at 
Portsmouth,  and  in  1780  was  made  Lieut.-general  of  marines, 
lie  died  at  Marylcbone,  Feb.  23,  1785.  Admiral  Pye  was  one 
of  those  men  of  ordinary  cap.icity,  on  whom  fortune,  not 
merit,  often  bestows  the  highest  honors.  "Witii  an  awkward 
ligure,  and  an  address  by  no  means  ])leasing,  ho  was  fond  of 
show,  and  much  addicted  to  intrigue  ;  and  to  a  narrow  under- 
standing and  shallow  attainments,  he  united  an  inordinate 
degree  of  personal  vanity  and  supercilious  consequence.  It  is 
painful  to  see  one,  who  was  never  signalized  by  any  brilliant 
achievcmont,   rise,  by   rapid  strides   to  naval   rank,  and   the 


■■'! 


m 


m 


;i 


02 


NOTKS. 


really  brave  and  worthy  tar  i)ine  away  in  angnisli  anil  despair, 
and  die  unnoticed  and  f(jr},otten. 

(j4)  The  PmxcKss  IIoyal  Indiaman  was  captured  by  the 
French  in  tlie  Straits  of  Siinda,  in  the  year  1793.  At  tiie  time 
of  her  capture,  she  was  under  the  command  of  J.  Ilorncastlo. 

(■ii)   \Vc  fin:l  tlic  folio  ving  notices  of  two  of  these  ships  : 
"Tiie  Ceres,  Ilawke,  and  other  East  India  ships,  arrived  at 
C'ntokhaven,  in  Ireland,  in  December,  1T81." 

GenlUmcn'i  Magazine,  1  "»■  1 . 

"Tin    llawkc  sailed  for  IJengal  on  the  lOth  of  November, 

1783,  and  was  to  be  returned  from  thence  to  Bombay  with  a 

cargo  of  rice,  and  then  to  proceed  to  China." 

Gentlemen's  Jl/.ig'ar/nf,  17  ;3. 

(20)  The  English  East  India  Company  was  incorporated  by 
Qneen  Elizabeth  in  IGOO,  and  was  c;ni)owered  to  carry  on  an 
exclusive  trade  with  "all  those  new  countries  to  the  eastward 
of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope."  About  the  year  1098,  application 
being  made  to  Parliament  by  private  merchants  for  laying  this 
trade  open,  ai^  act  was  passed  empowering  every  subject  of 
England,  upon  raising  a  sum  for  the  supply  of  government,  to 
trade  to  those  parts.  Upon  this,  a  great  many  persons  sub- 
scribed, and  the  association  thus  formed,  was  called  the  New 
East  India  Comiiany.  The  old  company,  being  masters  of  all 
the  forts  on  the  coast  of  India,  the  New  Company  found  it 


KOTliS. 


03 


to  their  interest  to  iinito  with  tlieiii,  which  tliey  diil,  ami  tlio 
trade  was  licncefortli  carried  on  Avith  tho  joint  stock,  under 
I  10  stylo  of  the  United  East  India  Company.  Tiic  coinj)any 
Avas  formed  for  purely  commercial  purposes,  and  during  tho 
iirst  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  its  existence,  retained  its  com- 
mercial character,  only  combining  with  it  so  much  of  warlilcc 
enterprise  and  precaution  as  was  necessary  to  secure  its  riclily 
laden  ships  from  being  plundered  by  the  fleets  of  pirates  that 
infested  the  Indian  Seas,  and  its  factories  from  being  burnt  or 
pillaged  in  tho  never-ending  wars  and  rebellions  among  the 
native  chiefs.  The  company,  liowcver,  gradually  became  a 
corporation  of  conquerors,  and  then  assumed  all  the  functions 
of  the  government  of  an  immenso  empire,  surrendering  gradu- 
ally the  operations  of  traffic  to  individual  merchants,  who 
traded  under  tho  shelter  of  its  power.  Tho  discipline  prac- 
ticed on  board  tlio  East  India  ships  was  extremely  .Severe. 
The  charter  of  the  company  cxi)ired  within  a  few  years  past. 

{■:■:)  The  following  articles  wc  take  from  the  ncwapapors  of  tlic  dny : 
"  London',  August  5. 

"  As  every  Rebel,  who  is  taken  prisoner  has  incurred  tho 
pain  of  death  by  tho  law  martial,  it  is  said  that  government 
will  charter  several  transports,  after  their  arrival  at  Boston,  to 
carry  tho  culprits  to  the  East  Indies  for  tho  Company's  service, 
as  it  is  tho  intention  of  government  only  to  punish  the  ring- 
leaders and  commanders  capitalli/,  and  to  suffer  the  inferior 


94 


NOTKS. 


P 

[in 

fill 
III 


h 


IJebcls  to  rcdc'om  tlioir  lives  hy  oiitcrinj?  into  tlie  East  India 
Company's!  sorvico.  Tliis  translation  will  only  render  them 
more  useful  subjects  than  in  tlieir  native  country." 

l|l  :|I  H>  !(<  If  *  * 

HoHa'  N.  Y.  Journal,  Thurs.,  Oct.  19,  1775.    No.  1711. 

"  .V    LeTTEIS    from    IIeNMAMIX     FitANKI.IV    AXD    SlI.AS    pEANE, 

EsQiiiiEs,  TO  I.oni)  Stoi;most,  the  ExciMsii  Amuassadou 

AT  Pa1!IS. 

Pauis,  April  '2,  1777. 
My  Lord, — 

We  did  ourselves  the  lionor  of  writing  some  time 
since  to  your  Lordsliip  on  the  subject  of  exchanging  prisoners; 
you  did  not  condesceiul  to  give  us  any  answer,  and  therefore 
wc  expect  none  to  this  :  we  however  take  the  liberty  of  send- 
ing you  copies  of  certain  depositions  which  we  shall  transmit 
to  Congress,  whereby  it  will  be  known  to  your  Court,  that  the 
United  States  are  not  unacquainted  with  the  barbarous  treat- 
ment their  people  receive  when  they  have  the  misfortune  of 
being  your  prisoners  liere  in  Europe  ;  and  that  if  your  conduct 
towards  us  is  not  altered,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  severe  repri- 
sals may  be  thought  justifiable,  from  the  necessity  of  putting 
some  check  to  such  abominable  practice. 

For  the  sake  of  Inimanity  it  is  to  be  wished  that  men  would 
endeavour  to  alleviate  as  much  as  possible  the  unavoidable 
miseries  attending  a  state  of  war.  It  has  been  said,  that 
among  the  civilized  nations  of  Europe  the  ancient  horrors  of 
that  state  are  much  diminished  ;  but  the  compelling  men  by 
chains,  stripes  and  famine  to  fight  against  their  friends  and 


.fc«-  —  -  *  ^ 


KOTKS. 


05 


relations,  is  a  new  mode  of  barbarity  wbich  yonr  nation  alone 
has  tiie  honor  of  inventing,  and  the  sending  American  i)risoners 
of  war  to  Africa  and  Asia,  remote  from  all  probability  of 
exchange,  and  where  they  can  scarce  hope  ever  to  hear  from 
their  families,  even  if  the  unwholesomeness  of  the  climate 
does  not  put  a  speedy  end  to  their  lives,  is  a  manner  of  treating 
captives,  that  you  can  justify  by  no  other  precedent  or  custom, 
except  that  of  the  black  savages  of  Guinea. 

A\'e  are,  your  Lordship's  most  obedient  humble  Servants, 

15.  Fraxki.ix, 
Lord  Viscount  S.  Deaxe. 

iST01!M0XT.'' 

"  To  the  above  letter  tlie  following  insolent  reply  wr.s  miu'e  : 
"  'The  King's  Ambassador  receives  no  Letters  from  IJebels, 
except  when  they  coiuo  to  ask  mercy.'  " 

Coi'Y    OF    THE    DeI'OSITIOXS    AUOVE    r.EFElIUEl)    TO. 

"The  Deposition  of  Eliphalet  Downer,  Surgeon,  taken  in 
tlie  Yankee  privateer,  is  as  follows : 

That  after  he  was  made  prisoner  by  Captains  Iloss  &  llodgc, 
who  took  advantage  of  the  generous  conduct  of  Capt.  Johnson 
of  the  Yankee  to  them  his  prisoners,  and  of  the  confidence  ho 
jdaced  in  them  iU  consequence  of  that  conduct  and  their 
assurances,  he  and  his  countrymen  Avere  closely  confined,  yet 
assured  that  on  their  arrival  in  port  they  should  be  set  at 
liberty,  and  these  assurances  were  repeated  in  the  most  solemn 
manner,  instead  of  which,  on  their  a[)proac!i  to  land  they  were. 


i  , 


J)0 


^■o^t;s. 


in  tlio  liot  weather  of  Aujjiist,  shut  up  in  a  small  <'aliin,  tlic 
Aviiulows  of  wiiich  were  spiked  down  and  no  uir  admitted  in, 
s>  much  that  they  were  all  in  danger  of  snft'oeatioii  from  the 
excessive  heat.  Three  or  four  days  after  their  arrival  in  tho 
river  Thames,  they  were  relieved  from  this  situation  in  the 
middle  of  the  night,  hurried  on  board  a  tender  and  sent 
down  to  Shecrncss,  where  tho  deponent  was  put  into  tho 
Ardent,  and  there  falling  sick  of  a  violent  fever  in  consequence 
of  such  treatment,  and  languishing  in  that  situatiou  for  sonic 
time,  he  was  removed  still  sick  to  the  Mars,  and  notwithstand- 
ing repeated  petitions  to  be  suftered  to  bo  sent  to  prison  on 
shore,  ho  was  detained  until  having  the  appearance  of  a  morti- 
fication in  his  legs,  ho  was  sent  to  Ilaslar  hospital,  from  w  hence 
after  recovering  his  health,  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  make 
his  escape.  AVhile  on  board  those  sliips  and  in  the  hosiiital, 
he  was  informed  and  believes  that  many  of  his  countrymen, 
after  experiencing  even  worse  treatment  than  he,  were  sent  to 
the  East  Indies,  and  many  of  those  taken  at  Quebec  were  sent 
to  the  coast  of  Africa  as  soldiers." 


"The  Deposition  of  Captain  Seth  Clark,  of  Newbury  Port,  iu 
the  State  of  Massachusetts-Bay,  in  America,  is  as  follows: 

That  on  his  return  from  Cape  Nichola  Mole  to  Newbury 
Port,  he  was  taken  on  the  17th  of  September  last  by  an  armed 

Schooner  in  his  Britannic  Majesty's  service, Coals,  Esq., 

Commander,  and  carried  down  to  Jamaica ;  on  his  arrival  at 
which  place,  he  was  sent  on  board  the  Squirrel,  another  armed 


f   , 


N<  iTE.^. 


0< 


vessel,  Doiiglii^a,    Esq,    Commamlcr,    wlicrc,    nltliotifrli 

master  and  Imlf  owner  of  the  vessel  in  which  lie  was  taken, 
lie  was  turned  as  a  common  sailor  before  the  mast,  and  in  that 
situation  sailed  for  Enj,dand  in  tiie  month  of  Xovember,  on  the 
25th  of  which  month  tliey  took  a  schooner  from  Port  a  Pe  to 
Charlestown,  South  Carolina,  to  which  i>laco  she  belonged, 
when  the  owner  Mr.  Burt,  and  the  nuister  Mr.  Bean,  were 
brought  on  board;  on  the  hitter's  denying  he  had  any  ship 
papers,  Capt.  Douglass  ordered  him  to  be  stripped,  tied  up  an<l 
then  whipped  with  a  wire  cat  of  nine  tails  that  drew  blood 
every  stroke,  and  then  on  his  saying  that  he  had  thrown  his 
papers  over  board;  he  was  untied  and  ordered  to  his  duty  as  a 
common  sailor,  with  no  place  for  himself  or  people  to  lay  on 
but  the  decks.  On  their  arrival  at  Spithead,  the  deponent 
Avas  removed  to  the  Monarch,  and  there  ordered  to  do  duty  as 
a  fore-mast  man,  and  on  his  refusing  on  account  of  inability  to 
do  it,  ho  was  threatened  by  the  Lieutenant,  a  Mr.  Stoney, 
that  if  he  spoke  one  word  to  tlio  contrary,  he  should  be 
brought  to  the  gang-way  and  there  severely  flogged. 

After  this  he  was  again  removed  and  put  on  board  the  IJar- 
fleur,  where  he  remained  till  the  10th  of  February.  On  board 
this  ship  the  deponent  saw  several  American  prisoners,  who 
Avero  closely  confined  and  ironed,  with  only  four  men's  allow- 
ances to  six.  These  prisoners  a';d  otliers  informed  this  depo- 
nent that  a  number  of  American  prisoners  had  been  taken  out 
of  the  ship  and  sent  to  the  East  Indies  and  the  coast  of  Africa, 
which  he  was  told  would  have  been  Ms  <ate,  had  he  arrived 


mimmm 


I'l) 


98 


NOIES. 


i 


sooner.    Thb  deponent  further  saill.,  Thf^t  in  Ilaslar  hospital, 

to  which  phice,  on  account  of  sicknes-s  he  was  removed  from 

the  Barflenr,  he  saw  a  Captain  Chase,  of  Providence,  New 

England,  who  told  him,  that  he  had  been  taken  in  a  sloop  of 

which  he  was  half  owner  and  master,  on  his  passage  from 

Providence  to  South  Carolina,  by  an  English  transport,  and 

turned  over  to  a  ship  of  war,  where  ho  was  confined  in  irons 

i;}  weeks,  insulted,  boat  and  abused  by  the  petty  officers  and 

common  sailors,  and  on  being  released  from  irons  was  ordered 

to  do  duty  as  a  fore-mast  man  until  Iiis  arrival  in  England, 

when  being  dangerously  ill,  he  was  sent  to  said  hospital. 

Paims.  ^larc'h  30,  1777."'  ,         ,    .       p  ^—• 

'■  '  '  Veunrjlvania  Journal,  Jug.  G,  1 . 1 1. 

(,.)  The  .Tack  is  the  fruit  grown  on  the  Jack  tree,  Artocarpus 
jam,  and  is  eatable,  being  of  a  pleasant  Uavor.     The  Jack 
belongs  to  the  Artocarpeoe  family,  which  arc  confined  entirely 
to  thJ  tropics.     The  fruit  which  was  eaten  by  our  hero  and 
his  companion,  and  which  is  also  confined  to  the  tropics,  was 
the    Manchineal,    Ilippomnne  mancinella,   of   the   family  of 
Ficarium  Cochinchincnsc,  some  of  the  fruit  of  which  is  eatable. 
The  Manchineal  is  very  beautiful  and  attractive  in  its  ai.pear- 
ance,  and  very  pleasant  when  first  tasted,  but  soon  becomes  so 
caustic  as  to  corrode  the  mouth,  and  occasions  severe  vomit- 
iug,  resulting  in  death.     It  is  exceedingly  poisonous,  and  is 
often  mistaken  for  the  jaca. 


ff 


NOTi:S. 


1>0 


(30)  Wc  find  the  following  notice  of  this  sliip  in  one  of  the  papers 
of  the  day : 

"London-,  Oct.  31. 

Capt.  Rogers,  of  the  Stonnont,  East  Iiuliamaii,  on  her  pas- 
sage to  St.  Helena,  took  a  French  snow  under  American  colors, 
of  -vvhich  he  first  learned  of  liostilities  hcing  commenced 
hetwecn  England  and  France.  Capt.  IJogert-:,  thinking  himself 
in  danger  of  being  taken,  if  lie  continued  with  his  prize, 
released  her,  joined  the  other  sliips,  and  acquainted  them  witli 
tlie  dangerous  situatioTi  they  were  in,  but  fortunately  saw  no 
l)rlvatcers  or  French  men-of-war."' 

Holt's  N.  Y.  Journal,  JMon.,  March  1,  177!>. 

(ao)  The  IkEXOwx  w'.is  a  4tli  rate,  carried  50  guns,  and  was 
built  in  1774  as  successor  to  a  40-gun  ship  whidi  had  l)ceii 
broken  up.  In  1775  our  vessel  was  placed  under  the  orders 
of  Capt.  Francis  Banks,  and  ordered  to  North  America,  and  in 
tlie  following  year  she  formed  one  of  the  fleet  of  Vicc-ad.  Lord 
Ilowe  on  tisat  station.  In  September  she  was  one  of  the 
squadron  under  Sir  Peter  Parker  that  co-operated  with  tlio 
army  under  Sir  William  Howe,  in  the  reduction  of  Xcw  York. 
On  the  18tli  day  of  June,  1777,  Capt.  Banks  died  wiiile  in 
command  of  his  vessel,  and  was  succeeded  by  John  Bour- 
niaster.  In  the  following  year  slie  was  under  the  orders  of 
George  Dawson,  and  in  the  month  of  August,  was  one  of  Lord 
Howe's  fleet  ofl"  Sandy  Ilook,  in  the  presence  of  tlio  Frencli 
fleet.  Here  she  fell  in  with  the  Tonnant,  of  84  guns,  and  gave 
lior  several  broiidsities.  but  otiier  Frendi  vessels  coming  up, 


.5 


10  ^> 


NOTKS. 


1 1  111 


I 


tlic  Renown   was  oliliged  to  sliocr  oft".     Subsequently  she 
engaged  the  Langueiloe,  of  90  guns,  D'Estahig's  own  ship, 
whicli  had  lost  all  her  masts,  and  in  that  condition  was  met 
by  Capt.  Dawson,  who  attacked  her  with  resolution,  pouring 
several  broadsides  into  her,  carrying  away  her  rudder,  and 
doing  he*^  othev  damage,  but  the  darkness  of  night  prevented 
him   from  taking  her.     On   the   5tn  day  of  July,  1779,  the 
Renown  was  one  of  a  squadron,  under  Sir  George  Collier,  that 
co-operated   with   a   body   of   troops,   under   Mnjor-Gencral 
Try  on,  in  the  destruction  of  Fairfield,  Norwalk  and  Greenfield, 
and  in  February,  1780,  she  was  one  of  a  squadron  that  sai'ed 
from  New  York,  under  Vice-ad.  Arbuthnot,  to  co-operate  with 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  in  the  reduction  of  Charleston,  South  Caro- 
lina.   In  1781  she  was  under  the  command  of  John  Henry, 
and  in  December  of  that  year,  she  formed  one  of  a  squadron, 
under  Rear-ad.  Kempenfelt,  that  was  sent  to  intercept  the 
French  West  India  convoy,  which  had  sailed  from  Rrcst,  under 
the  command  of  M.  de  Guichen.     In  1782  and  the  following 
year  she  was  one  of  the  squadron  in  North  America,  under 
command  of  Robert  Digb\',   Rear-admiral  of  the  red.     She 
returned  to  England  at  the  establishment  of  peace,  and  in  1784 
was  undergoing  repairs  at  Chatham.    She  appears  to  have 
been  broken  up  about  1790,  in  which  vr-a:-  avc  find  her  successor, 
a  7'l:-gun  ship,  building  at  Dudman's  Yard  in  Deptford. 


John  HrxnY  was  made  lieut.,  April  27,  lVu7,  promoted  to 
conrnander,  April  10,  1777,  and  raised  to  the  ramc  of  captain 


|[      I 


NOTES. 


101 


on  the  22d  day  of  November  following.  In  1778  he  com- 
manded the  24-gnn  ship  Fowey,  and  in  the  month  of  May  of 
that  year,  in  conjunction  with  a  land  force,  under  Major 
Maitland,  destroyed  the  American  magazines  then  erecting  in 
the  Delaware,  and  captured  the  32-gun  frigate  Washington 
and  28-gun  frigate  Effingham,  besides  a  brig  and  a  sloop.  In 
1780  he  was  promoted  to  the  Providence,  of  32  guns,  an 
American  frigate  captured  at  Charleston,  and  in  tlie  following 
year  was  appointed  to  the  Kenown,  of  50  guns,  in  which  he 
continued  to  the  end  of  the  war.  Capt.  Henry  died  on  the 
Gthday  of  August,  1829. 

(31)  The  SiiAHK  was  a  British  jloop  of  16  guns,  and  was 
launched  at  Hull  in  1780.  Her  predecessor  had  been  pur- 
chased by  Sir  George  Rodney,  and  sailed  with  him  to  the 
West  Indies,  but  foundered  on  the  way.  Kowell  Lloyd,  her 
captain,  and  part  of  her  crew  perished.  The  sloop  which  is 
the  subject  of  ciur  notice  was  in  1781  under  the  command  of 
Isaac  Yailliant,  and  in  the  year  following  formed  one  of  the 
si^uadron  in  the  West  Indies,  under  Commodore  Johnston,  at 
which  time  she  was  commanded  by  Robert  McDouall.  In 
1783  she  Avas  under  the  orders  of  John  Maitland,  and  was 
cruising  in  the  North  Seas,  and  in  the  succeeding  year  she  was 
commanded  by  Valentino  Edwards,  and  employed  on  home 
service.  She  continued  under  the  latter  commander  for  the 
usual  period,  and  was  then  put  out  of  commission.  In  17l>l 
she   was  under  the   orders  of  lion.   A.  K.  Lcgge.   and  wa< 


.--^A 


1 1   »  ( 


;i 


1- 1 

1 1 


102 


XOTK.S. 


employed  as  a  orniscr  in  the  Eiiglisli  and  Irisli  Cliaiiiiels  until 
1793,  wlien,  being  imder  command  of  Scory  Barker,  she 
formed  one  of  the  squadron  of  Sir  Pwichard  King,  at  Newfound- 
land. She  was  subsequently  under  J.  O'Brien,  and  during  tha 
three  folbwing  years  was  attached  to  the  squadron  of  Sir 
James  AVullace,  who  liad  succeeded  King  as  commander  on 
that  station.  After  this,  she  was  on  duty  in  the  North  Sea, 
under  Francis  Warren,  and  she  appears  to  have  been  succeeded 
in  1799  by  another  sloop  of  the  same  name  and  force. 

Isaac  Vaiixiaxt  was  the  eldest  son  of  Taul  Yailliaii^,  an 
eminent  bookseller,  who  held  at  one  time  Mie  office  of  SheritV 
of  London.  The  subject  of  our  note  was  n.ade  lieut.,  Nov.  25, 
17G1;  commander,  Oct.  8,  1777;  and  capt,  Nov.  23,  1780. 
In  1777  he  commanded  the  Nabob,  an  armed  vessel,  and  in 
1780  was  appointed  to  the  sloop  Shark.  He  was  made  a 
superannuated  Rear-admiral  in  1799,  and  died  at  KiackncU 
Banks,  Oct.  25,  1804,  aged  G5  years. 

(33)  This  vessel  was  lost  in  November,  I8O0,  near  the  island 
of  Fernando  de  Norhonha,  in  the  South  Atlantic  Ocean.  She 
was  then  used  as  an  artillery  transport  ship.  Iler  crew  and 
the  artillery  troops  that  had  embarked  in  her,  were  all  taken 
off  before  she  sunk.  Brig. -Gen.  York,  of  the  artillery,  was 
drowned  while  endeavoring  to  reach  the  shore. 

(33)  The  Ampiiitrite  was  registered  as  a  sixtli-rate,  carried 
24:  guns,  and  was  built  in  1778.     In  the  month  of  May  she  was 


NOTKS. 


loa 


coiiimaiided  by  Thos.  Guborian.     In  October,  1779,  she  was 
under  the  command  of  Cupt.  James  Montague,  and  was  cruis- 
ing off  the  coast  of  Spain.     In  1780  she  was  under  tlie  orders 
of  Capt.  Robert  Biggs,  and  was  one  of  the  sqiiadron,  under 
Rear-admiral  Thomas  Graves,  that  sailed  on  the  17th  of  May 
for  America.     In  the  year  following  she  sailed  from  Sandy 
Hook  in  Admiral  Graves'  fleet  for  the  Chesapeake.     In  March, 
1782,  she  took  thr  brig  Peggy  from  Virginia,  bound  to  the 
West  Indies,  with  a  cargo  of  flour,  and  in  April  following  she 
took  the  privateer  ship  Franklin.     In  October,   in  company 
with  another  vessel,  she  captured  two  brigs  laden  with  lum- 
ber, a  ship  with  silks,  from  Bilboa,  and  a  privateer  schooner, 
as  Avell  as  retook  two  brigs  from  Virginia,  laden  with  tobacco. 
She  returned  to  England  at  the  restoration  of  peace,  and  went 
into  repair  at  "Woolwich.     In  1793  we  And  her  again  in  com- 
mission, she  being  then  under  the  orders  of  Capt.  Anthony 
Hunt,  2d,  and  being  one  of  a  squadron  of  ships  that  sailed  from 
Spithead  for  the  Mediterranean  on  the  22d  of  May,  under  the 
command  of  Vice-ad.  Lord  Howe.    She  Avas  wrecked  soon 
after  reaching  her  station,  by  striking  upon  a  sunken  rock. 
Her  captain  and  crew  were  all  saved.     She  was  succeeded  in 
the  navy  by  a  28- gun  frigate  that  was  formerly  the  Pomona, 
built  at  Southampton  in  1778  and  broken  up  in  1811. 

Robert  Biggs  was  made  lleut.,  Aug.  7,  1701;  commander, 
Jan.  10,  1771 ;  and  raised  to  the  rank  of  captain,  March  18, 
1778.    In  1771  he  commanded  the  Grace,  an  armed  cutter, 


101 


NOTJiS. 


4/ 


III'! 

m 


and  in  1774  tlie  sloop  Favorite,  of  16  guns.  In  1778  he  com- 
manded tlic  Lively,  of  20  guns,  and  on  the  8th  day  of  July  of 
that  year,  having  been  ordered  to  watch  the  motions  of  the 
French  fleet  off  Brest,  under  Gompte  D'Orvilliers,  npon  a  fog 
clearing  up,  he  found  himself  in  the  midst  of  the  enemy, 
whereupon  ho  was  compelled  to  strike  his  colors.  In  1780  he 
was  appointed  to  the  Amphitritc,  of  24  guns,  and  ordered  to 
North  America,  on  which  station  he  remained  till  the  end  of 
the  war,  when  he  returned  home.  He  was  made  Eearad.  of 
the  white  in  1795,  Vice-ad,  of  the  blue  in  1799,  and  in  the 
year  following  was  raised  to  Vicc-ad.  of  the  white.  He  died 
at  Catisfield,  Hants,  on  the  11th  day  of  July,  1803, 

(34)  The  Ampuiox  was  a  fifth-rate  British  frigate,  mounting 
82  guns,  and  was  i-.unched  at  Chatham,  Dec,  2oth,  1780.  Her 
dimensions  were  as  follows:  Length  of  gun-deck,  12G  ft,  1  in.; 
of  keel,  104  ft.  3  in,;  breadth,  35  ft,;  depth,  12  ft.  2  in.; 
tons,  079,  As  soon  as  she  was  equipped  and  ready  for  service, 
she  was  placed  under  the  command  of  Capt.  John  Bazcly ;  and 
in  the  spring  of  1781,  in  company  with  the  Ostridge  sloop  of 
war,  commanded  by  Sir  Jacob  Wheate,  and  the  armed  ship 
Britannia,  convoyed  to  America  23  sail  of  transports,  with 
about  3,000  German  troops,  arriving  at  New  York  in  the 
month  of  August,  after  a  passage  of  93  days.  On  the  10th 
day  of  September,  she  formed  one  of  a  small  squadron,  under 
Capt.  Bazcly,  which  in  conjunction  with  a  land  force,  under 
Gen.  Arnold,  destroyed  the  town  of  New  London,  with  several 


NOTKS. 


105 


magazines  of  stores,  and  all  the  8hipi)ing  in  the  liarbor.     In 
October  following  she  was  one  of  the  fleet,  under  Rear-ad. 
Digby,  that  sailed  from  New  York  to  the  relief  of  Cornwallis 
at  Yorktown.     In  tlie  line  of  battle  she  was  one  of  the  frigates 
attached  to  the  cent  o  division,  which  was  under  the  com- 
mand of  Thomas  Graves,  Hear- ad.  of  the  red.    In  the  month 
of  February,  1782,  being  on  a  cruise,  in  company  with  the 
Cyclops  frigate,  of  28  guns,  she  captured  the  Lamblaset,  a 
large  French  ship,  of  IG  guns,  from  Guadaloupe,  bound  to 
Virginia,  and  in  tlio  following  month  she  took  the  French 
ship  La  Favourite,  of  16  guns,  bound  from  Bayonnc  in  France, 
to  Philadelphia.     In   May  following,   the   Amidiion  made  a 
prize  of  the  schooner  Governor  Livingston,   Captain  Moses 
Griftin,  bound  from  St.  Vincent  to  Philadelphia,  and  in  Novem- 
ber she  took  a  sloop,  bound  from  St.  Croix  to  Rhode  Island, 
where  she  was  owned,  conmianded  by  Capt.  Whipple,  and 
laden  with  a  valuable  cargo  of  rum.     The  Aa.jjhion  remained 
on  the  American  station,  under  Capt.  Bazely,  until  tiie  end  of 
the  war,  when  she  returned  home.    After  being  overhauled  at 
"Woolwich,  Capt.  John  Brown  was  appointed  to  her,  and  he 
Avas  succeeded  by  Capt.  Ilonry  Nichols,  who  in  his  turn  gave 
up  the  command  to  Capt.  Herbert  Sawyer,  under  whom,  in 
1793,  she  formed  one  of  the  fleet  of  Rear-ad.  Kingsmill,  on  the 
Irish  station.    In  the  following  year  she  appears  as  one  of  the 
squadron  at  Newfoundland,  under  Rear-ad.  Sir  .James  "Wallace. 
In  1795  Capt.  Israel  Pellew  was  appointed  to  her,  under  whom 
she  continued  a  short  time  at  Newfoundlanil,  and  returned 


Joe 


xoTi:?. 


,\ 


IIUl 


liGiiic  tlie  following  year.  She  subscciiieutly  cruised  a  short 
time  in  the  North  Sea,  and  was  then  ordered  to  join  the 
squadron  of  frigates,  under  Sir  Edward  Pellew,  employed  oft* 
the  coast  of  France.  <  >n  her  way  tliitlier,  having  sustained 
some  damage  in  a  hard  gust  of  wind,  she  put  into  Plymoutli 
for  repair.  She  anchored  in  tlje  Sound,  Sept.  10,  1T90,  and 
went  into  the  liarbor  the  following  morning.  On  the  22d,  at 
about  haU-past  4  p.m.,  a  violent  sliock,  like  that  of  an  earth- 
(juake,  was  felt  at  Stonehouse,  and  extended  as  far  olF  as  the 
Itoyal  Hospital  and  the  town  of  Plymouth.  The  sky  towards 
tlie  dock  appeared  red  like  the  effect  of  a  fire,  and  for  nearly 
a  (juarter  of  an  liour  the  streets  were  crowded  with  people 
running  to  and  fro  in  the  utmost  consternation.  AVhon  the 
alarm  and  confusion  had  somewhat  subsided,  it  was  ascertained 
that  the  sdiock  had  been  c.iused  by  the  explosion  of  the 
Amphion.  The  upper  works  in  tiie  fore  part  of  the  ship  had 
lioen  blown  to  atoms,  and  she  had  almost  immediately  sunk  in 
ten  fathoms  of  water.  As  the  ship  was  expected  to  sail  the 
next  day,  there  were  nearly  300  persons  on  board  at  the  time 
of  the  calamity.  About  100  of  these  were  visitors,  who  had 
come  to  take  leave  of  their  friends  and  relatives  before  tiieir 
dei)arture.  Of  the  large  number  on  board,  not  more  than  4i) 
were  saved,  and  the  greater  ])ortion  of  tliesc  were  more  or 
less  injured.  Capt.  I'ellcw,  her  commander,  was  severely 
wounded,  but  recovered,  ('apt.  Swaflield,  of  the  Ovcryssel, 
wlio  vvas  at  dinner  with  him,  was  killed,  as  were  also  most  of 
the  ofticers  who  wore  on  Itonrd  at  the  time.     Several  bodies 


-HP" 


NOTES. 


107 


were  picked  up  by  the  boats.  Most  of  those  who  remained 
alive  were  conveyed  in  a  mangled  state  to  the  Royal  Hospital. 
Arms,  legs,  and  lifeless  trunks  were  collected  and  deposited  at. 
the  Hospital  for  identification.  As  the  ship  had  been  originally 
manned  from  Plymouth,  the  number  of  people  who  were 
afterwards  seen  there  in  deep  mourning  for  their  lost  relatives, 
was  truly  melancholy.  The  cxplosiv .  is  supposed  to  have 
l)cca  caused  by  the  carelessness  of  the  gunner  in  going  among 
the  gunpowder,  without  using  the  necessary  precautions.  The 
Amphion  was  succeeded  by  a  frigate  of  the  same  name  and 
force,  which  was  built  at  Betts'  yard,  in  Mistleythorne,  in  tlie 
year  1708. 


Jonx  Bazely  was  born  in  Dover,  in  the  county  of  Kent, 
Eng.,  about  1740.  He  entered  the  navy  in  1755,  and  became 
lieut.,  April  7,  17C0.  On  the  22d  Sept.,  1777,  while  in  com- 
mand of  the  Alert  cutter,  of  10  guns  and  CO  men,  lie  captured 
the  brig  Lexington,  of  16  guns  and  84  men,  of  whom  7  were 
killed  and  1 1  wounded.  The  Alert  had  2  killed  and  3  wounded. 
Tor  this  achievement  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  com- 
mander. On  the  15th  April,  1778,  he  was  advanced  to  post- 
captain  in  the  Formidable,  of  90  guns,  the  Hag-ship  of  Sir 
Hugh  Palliser,  in  the  fleet  under  tlie  command  of  Admiral 
Keppel.  In  the  action  off  Brest  on  the  27tli  July,  he  was,  of 
course,  present,  and  his  ship  had  a  greater  number  of  killed 
and  wounded  than  any  other  of  the  fleet.  Capt.  Bazely  was 
subsequently  moved  to  the  Pegasus,  of  28  guns.    On  the  8th 


108 


NOTr:s. 


I* 


(till 


Jan.,  1780,  lio  participntcd  in  the  oaptnro  of  a  valiialile  Spatiisli 
convoy,  and  on  the  IGth  of  the  same  montli  was  engaged  in 
the  action  with  the  Spaiiisli  fleet  off  Cadiz.  He  afterwards, 
for  a  short  time,  commanded  the  frigate  Apollo,  and  was  then 
appointed  to  the  Amphion,  of  32  guns,  in  which  he  contlnned 
to  the  end  of  the  American  war.  On  the  retnrn  of  peace  he 
was  appointed  to  the  Alfred,  of  74  gnns,  thpn  a  gnard-ship  at 
Ciiatham,  and  was  subbequently  imder  Howe  in  the  memorable 
engagctnent  of  1st  Jnne,  179-t.  He  afterwards  moved  to  the 
IJlenheim,  of  98  guns,  and  served  in  her,  under  Admiral,  Lord 
llotham,  in  the  Mediterranean.  On  the  1st  June,  1795,  he 
was  made  Rear-ad.  of  the  white,  and  by  snhsecpient  promotions 
attained  the  rank  of  Yice-ad.  of  the  red.  lie  died  at  Dover, 
April  C,  1809,  at  the  age  of  09  years. 


It  0 


(ji)  The  "Jeksey  "  was  originally  a  British  ship  of  the  line. 
She  was  registered  as  a  4th-rate,  carried  CO  guns,  and  was 
built  in  1730,  as  successor  to  a  50-gun  ship,  which  had  been 
condemned  as  unfit  for  further  duty.  The  first  service  of  our 
slip  was  in  1737,  when  she  was  one  of  the  Channel  fleet,  under 
Sir  John  Xorris.  In  1739  she  was  commanded  by  Edmund 
AVilliams,  and  composed  one  of  the  Mediterranean  fleet,  under 
Rear-admirals  Nicholas  Haddock  and  Sir  C'haloner  Ogle,  and 
she  was  subsequently  one  of  the  squadron  that  was  designed 
against  Ferrol.  In  17-41  she  was  commanded  by  Peter  Law- 
rence, and  in  March  of  that  year,  she  bore  the  flag  of  Sir 
Clialoner  Ogle,  at  which  time  she  composed  one  of  the  fleet  of 


NOTICE. 


lOJ) 


Admiral  Vernon,  in  liis  unsuccessful  expedition  against  Car- 
tl.agena.     In  1743  Harry  Xorris  was  appointed  to  her,  who 
in  1744  was  succeeded  in  conunand  of  her  by  Cliarles  Ilardv 
subseciucntly  Governor  of  Xew  York.     Under  this  oflicer  siio 
formed,  in  the  following  year,  one  of  the  Mediterranean  lleet, 
under  Vice-admiral  Rowley.    On  the  2Cth  of  July,  while  on  u 
cruise  off  Gibraltar,  sho  fell  in  with  the  St.  Esprit,  a  French 
ship  of  74  guns.    ^  i  engagement  ensued,  and  lasted  for  2}.', 
liours,  when  tho  St.  Esprit,  being  much  damaged,  was  com- 
pelled to  sheer  off.    The  Jersey  being  also  nnich  crippled,  was 
unable  to  pursue  her,  and  accordingly  put  into  Lisbon  for 
repair.    She  subsetpiently  served  in  tlio  Mediterranean  licet, 
under  Admiral  Medley,  and  then  returned  home.     In  Oct., 
1748,  the  Jersey  was  reported  as  a  hulk,  and  in  1755,  after 
being  put  into  repair  at  Cliatham,  and  manned  with  a  crew  of 
420  men,  she  was  placed  under  the  orders  of  Sir  AVilliam 
Durnaby,  in  anticipation  of  a  rupture  with  France.    In  1757 
John  Barker  was  appointed  to  her,  and  under  him  sho  formed 
one  of  tho  Mediterranean  fleet,  under  Henry  Osborne,  Admiral 
of  the  blue.     In  1759  sho  composed  one  of  tho  fleet  of  Admiral 
Boscawen,  in  his  maneuvers  against  tho  French  squadron, 
under  M.  de  la  Clue,  and  she  was  one  of  tho  three  ships  that 
made  the  unsuccessful  attempt  to  cut  away  two  of  the  enemy's 
vessels  in  the  harbor  of  Toulon.     About  the  latter  part  of  tho 
year  Amlrcw  "Wilkinson  was  appointed  to  her,  under  whom 
sho  composed  one  of  tho  Mediterranean  fleet,  under  Vice- 
admiral  Saunders,  until  near  tho  termination  of  the  war.     In 


110 


NOTK:^. 


it 


i' 


m 


1700  AVilliam  I)ickson  was  iippoiiitcd  to  ooiiiiiKind  licr  as  cap- 
ta'ui  to  Sir  Kichartl  Spry,  who  lioistcd  his  flag  on  l)oanl,  and 
continued  in  lier  as  coniinandor  of  a  small  squadron  in  tho 
Mediterranean  till  ITO'?.  In  tho  following  year  slio  sailed 
from  Plymouth  for  Newfoundland,  taking  tho  Hon.  John 
IJyron,  tho  newly  appointed  Governor  of  that  colony,  as  a 
jiassenger,  and  bearing  his  flag  on  board.  She  returned  home 
at  tho  end  of  tho  year  and  put  into  Chatham,  where  she  was 
Hoon  after  fitted  up  as  a  hospital-ship.  She  was  placed  under 
the  orders  of  Commaiulcr  W.  A.  Ilalstead,  and  sailed  for 
America  in  tho  spring  of  1770,  as  one  of  tho  scpiadron  of  Com- 
modore Ilotham,  arriving  at  Sandy  Hook  in  tho  month  of 
August.  Sho  subsequently  was  used  for  a  short  time  as  a 
store-ship,  then  employed  again  as  a  hosj)ital-ship,  and  finally 
fitted  up  as  a  prison-ship,  in  which  capacity  she  remained  till 
the  termination  of  the  war,  wi.en  she  was  broken  up  and  sunk 
off  the  Long  Island  shore,  near  the  site  of  tho  present  navy 
yard.  She  was  succeeded  in  tho  navy  by  a  cutter  of  the  same 
name,  which  was  launched  in  18G0. 

For  further  particulars  respecting  her,  the  sufferings  of  the  prisoners 
on  board,  etc.,  see  "  Adventures  of  Christopher  Hawkins,"  etc., 
edited  by  Charles  I.  Bushnell.  8vo.  pp.  316.  N.  Y.,  1SC4.  Sec  also 
Appcndi.x  to  the  present  volume. 


(do)  Capt.  Ben'jamix  Ei.lin'gwood  was  the  great-grandson 
of  Ralph  Ellingwood,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Beverly,  Mass., 

His  mother's 


and  was  the  son  of  Ebenczer  Ellingwood, 


NOTKH. 


Ill 


maiden  name  was  Elizabeth  Corning.  The  Miil.jcct  of  our 
sketch  was  born  in  Beverly,  An;,'.  Ifi,  175.3,  ami  died  in  the 
West  Indies  in  tho  sninnier  of  1792.  The  following  is  his 
genealogy,  taken  from  the  Town  Uccords: 

UALni  Ei.i,iNawoon,  married  Aug.  21,  lO'Jl.    Had  one  son,  viz. : 
EBE.NEZEK  Ei.Li.NGWOop,   born  Aug.  29,   1G97.    Married  Sarah  Tuck, 

March  23, 1719.    Had  one  son,  viz. : 
Edsnezkk  Ellisowood,  born  Oct.  30, 1719.   Married  Elizabeth  Corning, 

May  24,  1744.    Had  one  son,  viz. : 
Benjamin  Ei.lixgwood,    born  Aug.   10,  17:>3.    Marric<l  Ann  (lark, 

Nov.  17, 1774.  No  children.  He  married  Love  Hilton, 

Aug.  8, 1779.    No  descendants  living. 

(n)  Cai'E  Axn,  n  promontory  in  Essex  Co.,  Mass.  It  derives 
its  name  from  Prince  Charles,  who  gave  it  the  name  out  of 
respect  to  his  mother,  Queen  Ann,  the  consort  of  James  1st. 
Sandy  IJay,  now  called  Rockport,  is  on  the  north-easterly  side 
of  the  Cape,  about  four  miles  from  the  South  Harbor. 


(31.)  John  I?i.ATCiiFoiiD,  Senr.,  the  father  of  our  hero,  was 
born  in  the  southern  part  of  Englond,  about  the  year  1703.  In 
171C,  when  the  river  Tliamcs  was  frozen  over,  and  when 
beeves  were  roasted  and  eaten  on  the  ice,  lie  was  present  with 
hundreds  of  men  and  boys.  "  After  the  gentlemen  had  finished 
their  feast,"  as  he  himself  used  to  say,  "  the  boys  were  all 
bountifully  supplied."  At  this  time  he  called  liimsclf  14  years 
old.  Some  years  after  this  remarkably  cold  winter,  Mr. 
Blatchford   came   to   Portsmouth,   X.  II.,  where   he   resided 


^•^ 


11:3 


KUTKS. 


m- 


several  years,  and  tlicii  uiovud  to  Salem,  Mass.  He  came  to 
Gloucester,  now  Ilockport,  on  Cape  Ann,  about  1754.  Here, 
Jan.  r,  1755,  ho  married  Eaelicl,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Elizabeth  Clark,  of  that  place.  For  many  years  preceding  his 
death,  Mr.  Blatchford  was  very  infirm,  and  his  Avifo  beinir 
unable  to  take  care  of  him,  tliey  went  to  live  with  their 
daughter  Rachel.  There  Mrs.  Ehitchford  died  in  the  year 
1800.  Mr.  Blatchford  continued  residing  with  his  dauglitcr 
until  1809,  when  he  died  at  the  age  of  about  107  years.  The 
following  were  the  names  of  liis  cliildren: 

^-  Moi-i-'^' Married  1st.  Mr.  Craven.    2d.  Joseph  Tucker. 

'^-  •^""''"' "   Anui,  d.  of  Nchemiah  and  Betsey  Grovcr. 

3.  William...  Diej  young. 

■^-  Kac'iki. "  Xathaniel  Foster,  of  Woohvicli,  Me. 

•"'•  S-^MiEi "  J.ydia,  d.  of  Henry  Clark,  of  Rockpoit. 

0.  Xatiianiei,..  "  Abigail  Cleveland,  of  Gljucestcr. 

"•  ^^i^^"'"' "  Hannali,  d.  of  John  and  Anna  Ganiage,  of  Rjckport. 

N.  Jonathan-.  . .  Died  young. 

GO  ^y^.  have  stated  that  tlio  maiden  name  of  Mr.  IJhxtch- 
ford's  wife  was  Anna  Grovcr.  Tliis  hidy  was  born  in  1700, 
and  was  tlie  daughter  of  Xeliemiali  Grovcr,  a  farmer  of  Sandy 
Buy,  now  Rocki)ort.  Iler  motlior,  Betsey  Grover,  Avas  tlic 
'iuugbter  of  Xatlianiel  Gamagc,  by  Ids  wife  Mary,  daughter 
of  Josliiia  Xorwood. 

Mr.  Blatchford  died  about  the  year  1794,  leaving  his  widow 
surviving  him.  In  the  year  1800  she  married  Edward  Ilig- 
gin?-,  Jr.,  and  he  dying  in  1805,  she  was  again  left  a  widow. 


'.:'iamef'j""'i" 


—Hmmmm 


NOTi;S. 


113 


She  supported  herself  and  cliildrcn  by  weavhig,  until  the 
factories  so  aflPected  tlio  wlieel  and  loom,  that  tliat  trade 
heeaine  no  longer  remunerative.  She  thon  devoted  a  part  of 
lier  time  to  nursing  the  sick,  in  which  occupation  she  was  held 
in  great  repute.  Siio  is  represented  as  having  been  of  an 
amiablo  disposition,  of  industrious  habits,  and  possessed  of 
many  endearing  qualities.  She  died  on  the  fourth  day  of 
March,  18-1:1,  at  the  ago  of  75  years. 

Her  children  by  Mr.  IJlatchford  were  as  follows  : 

.VvNcv....bornl7s4 Died  young. 

U.vciiKt,  ..     "     17^G....m.mieJFranciH  Fliltoii,  of  Gloucester 

She  is  still  ilviii?;. 

"        1st.  notsoy  roster.      2i].  Strs.  SfiU-y 

Tarr,  of  Rockport.    He  died,  Jan.  20,  IsCi. 

Margaret  Oakea  Soper,  of  Rockport. 

lie  is  still  living:. 


WlLMASI..     "      17Si8. 
•louN "     170,1. 


For  tlie  tullotting  ad.litional  particulars,  wc  arc  indebted  to  the 
kindness  of  Miss  rjotsie  F.  Andrews,  of  Rockport,  Mass. 

PvAcriEL  15r.ATcnFom>,  eldest  child  of  John  Blatchford  and 
Anna  (drover)  IJlatchford,  that  arrived  at  maturity,  Avas 
born  in  llockport  in  1780.  Married  Francis  Hilton,  of  Glou- 
cester, who  died  at  Rockport,  1812.  Mrs.  Hilton  has  since 
remained  a  widow,  and  is  at  this  date  (1805)  living  with 
her  daughter,  Sarah,  in  Cambridge,  ]\Iass.  Her  children  are 
as  follows  : 

1.  Fkancis  . ,  .l.orn  1^00.  .married,  1st,  Jtary  Pew.    2,1,  Sarah  Tappan. 

Still  livln^'  in  Gloucester. 


I 


114 


NOTKS. 


W 

m 


I*. 


2.  S.iRAn bom  1^03.  .married,  1st,  DaviaMellcn.  2a,  Jaraoa Hilton. 

Still  liviiig  in  Cambridge. 

1.  William...    "     ISIO.  .unmarried Died. 

4.  IsaacTl'll.    "     1810.  .married,  1st,  Ilhoda  Toole.    He  died  and  liia 

widow  married  Cbas.  Marcbant,  wbo  died. 

AViLLiAM  liLATcnFOUD,  brotlicr  of  tlie  preceding,  was  born 
in  Rockport,  1788;  married  (18U),  1st,  Bctsoy  Foster, 
daugliter  of  Nathaniel  and  Rachel  Foster,  of  Rockport,  wlio 
died,  .Jan.,  1831.  2d,  (1833)  Mary  Tarr,  widow  of  Robert 
T-  rr,  and  daughter  of  George  and  Sail/  Gott,  all  of  Rockport. 
William  Blatchford  was  a  resident  of  Rockport,  and  was  a 
very  enterprising  seaman.  In  1799,  when  only  11  years  of 
age,  ho  served  on  board  the  "Congress."  AVhen  past  TO 
years  old,  he  received  a  land  warrant  for  that  service.  lie 
died,  .Jan.  20,  18G4.     Ilis  children  were— 

By  his  first  murriage. 

1.  Cauolixe  Pk;ble..  born  June  20,  ISl.) Died  young. 

2.  William "    Juj^  n,  I817.  .married  Ellen  Reid,  of  Pat- 

crson,  N.  J. 

3.  MAKYPoLLAim....    "    Feb.  22, 1819..      "        Cbarles    Nute,    of 

Dover,  N.  H. 
*-^oii^ "     Aug.l3,ls2I..       "        l,ydia    Wbitc,     of 

Casco,  Me. 
r>.        A  Daughter ... .    "    July  15,  1823. .  Died  an  infant. 

C.  Xancy  <} "    Sept.  5,  1S25..       "        John  Pittec. 

7.  Elizadeth "    Sept.  8, 1S27. .      "        Daniel   Merrill,   of 

Buxton,  Me. 


8.  Dldley  Ciioate  , 


D:!C.  12,  l^r. 


9.  X.vTiiAXtELFosTKa.     "     Nov.  29.  1=*31 .  .       " 


Mary  Ann  Uabson, 

of  Rockport. 
Mary  Findlay. 


NOTF.S.  115 

Bj  h:3  Bccond  mirriage. 

1.  Ben-jamix  ruAXKi-ix.  .bom  Jan.      ISl"..  .marrica  Emily  Snow.    He 

served  in  tlio  War  for  tlie  Union  in 
2d  Mass.  Artillery,  and  wasproraoted 
1st  lieut.  for  gallant  conduct. 

2.  I.rcY  SAXDnuv "    Sept.    8,  1(S3^ Died  young. 

;j.  Louisa  Tostei: '•    Xov.  29, 1S41. .  .married    Henry    Martin 

Lowe,  of  Rockport,  who  served  in 
the  War  for  the  Union. 

C'ai)t.  Joiiv  r>r.ATCiii-oKn,  brotlioi-  of  tlie  preceding,  ami  tlio 
youngest  of  tlie  diildren  of  Jolni  IJlatcliford,  and  Anna  liis  wife, 
was  born  in  Rockport,  1790;  married,  1S09,  ]Srargarct  Oaken, 
daiigliter  of  Benjamin  Sope/.  Mr.  and  yhn.  Blatchford  arc 
still  livin-  in  Ilockport,  in  the  State  of  Massaclinsctts.  Tlieir 
children  are  as  follows  : 

I.  CuAiii.oTTE  FosTEit. . .  .bom  Dcc.    1,  1S(19.  .married,    1st,    Lemuel 

Norwood,  keeper  of  the 
"Light"  on  Eastern  Point, 
Gloucester.  2d,  Daniel  Nor- 
wood, of  Gloucester, 

-•  ^Lu!OAUET  Oakes born  Dec.  IG,  ISll.  .married  William  Thurs- 
ton, of  llockport, 

•!•  J""i^ "    Oct.  l.->,  1812 Died  young. 

4.  Sai.i.v  I'osrKii "    Apl.  21,  1814.  .married  John  Iloblc,  of 

llockport. 

5.  Cakomne  PuEDr.E "    Apl.  28,  1817.  .married  Benjamin Sopcr 

Marshall,  Jr.,  of  Rockport. 
0.  Makv  CnoATE "    Feb.    4,  1821.  .married  AlbertGiddings 

Halo. 
7.  SoiniiA  Anduew.s. "    Oct.    ."5,  1823 Died  young. 


lull 


lie  NOTKS. 

8.  Nancv  Taiik born  July  2G,  1S2C.  .married  James  Miinroe 

Montgomerj-,  of  BooUiba}',  Me. 
9- Jo"^' "     Oct.  1,5,  ls27 Died  young. 

10.  Zelixda  Goss "    Aug.  2C,  1828.  .married  Benjamin  Reed 

Montgomery,  of  Boothbay,  M j. 

11.  Louisa  Maiifa  Mkm.en-.    "    Dec.  11.  1833.  .married  David  Tarson.s 

Boynton,  Jr.,  of  Rookport,  wbo 
served  in  Co.  B,  oOtU  Regt. 
Mass.  Volg.,  in  War  for  tlie 
Union,  and  died  in  Rockport, 
i\ov.  3,  18G3. 

12.  n;;rsi.:v  1'()st:;;i ••     Mar.  II,  l'<3(!.  .married  John  Edmunds, 

of  I'oekport. 


f 


'1 

fi 


A  P  P  E  N  I)  I  X . 


The  DESTKL'CTIVE  Ol'EKATlOX  of  FOIL  All!,  TAIMIU)  Tlto- 
V1SIOX8,   BAD  WaTEI!,  «;hZ    I'EIiSOXAL    FlLTIlINESS,  VJ>0)1    IIIMAN 

Constitutions;  cxcmpUfleil  in  the  vnparuUelcJ  Cruelty  of  the 
Ih'ilhh  to  the  American  Captives  at  Xew-York  during  the 
Jievolutionarij  TFar,  on  Board  their  Prison  and  HoHpitul 
Ships.  By  Captain  Alexander  Coffin,  /««.,  one  of  the  sur- 
viving Sufferers:  In  a  Communication  to  Dr.  MiTciiii.r., 
dated  Septemher  4,  ISOT. 

SHALL  furnish  you  witli  an  account  of  llio 
treatment  tluit  I,  Avitli  other  of  my  fellow 
citizens  received  on  board  the  Jersey  and  John 
prison  sliips;  those  monuments  of  British 
barbarity  and  infamy.  I  shall  give  you  nothing  but  a  plain 
simple  statement  of  facts  that  cannot  be  controverted.  And 
I  begin  my  narrative  from  tlic  time  of  my  leaving  tlie  South- 
Carolina  frigate. 

In  Juno,  1782,  I  left  the  above  mentioned  frigate  in  Ibc 
Ilavanna,  on  board  of  wliich  siiip  I  had  long  served  as  a  mid- 
shipman, and  made  several  trading  voyages.  I  sailed  early  in 
September  from  Baltimore  for  the  Ilavanna,  in  a  lleet  of  about 
forty  "^ail,  most  of  which  were  captured,  and  we  among  the 
rest,  by  t!ic  British  frigate  Ceres,  Cai)tain  Hawkins,  a  man  in 


lis 


AITKNDIX. 


every  sense  of  the  word  a  perfect  brute.  Although  our  coni- 
iiuiuder.  Cai)taiu  Iluglies,  was  a  very  gentlemanly  man,  he  was 
treated  in  the  most  shameful  and  abusive  manner  by  said 
IlaAvkins,  and  ordered  below  to  mess  with  the  petty  officers. 
Our  officers  were  put  in  the  cable-tier  with  the  crew,  and  a 
guard  placed  at  the  hatchway  to  prevent  more  than  two  going 
on  dock  at  a,  time,  and  that  only  for  the  necessary  calls  of 
nature.  Tho  provisions  served  out  to  lis  were  of  the  very 
worst  kind,  and  very  short  allowance  even  of  that.  They  fre- 
quently gave  us  pea  soup,  that  is,  pea-water,  for  tho  pease  and 
the  soup,  all  but  about  a  gallon  or  two,  were  taken  out  for 
the  ship's  company,  and  the  coppers  filled  up  with  water,  and 
just  warmed  and  stirred  together,  and  brought  down  to  us  in 
a  strap-tub.  And,  Sir,  I  might  have  defied  any  person  on 
earth,  possessing  the  most  acuto  olfactory  powers,  and  tho 
most  refined  taste,  to  decide,  either  by  one  or  tho  other,  or 
both  of  those  senses,  whether  it  was  pease  and  water,  slush 
and  water,  or  swill.  After  living  and  being  treated  in  this 
Avay,  subject  to  every  insult  and  abuse  for  ten  or  twelve  days, 
Avc  fell  in  with  the  Champion  British  twenty-gun  ship,  which 
was  bound  to  Xcw  York  to  refit,  and  were  all  sent  on  board 
of  her.  The  Captain  was  a  true  seaman  and  a  gentleman ;  and 
our  treatment  ^^  as  so  difl:erent  from  what  we  had  experienced 
on  board  the  Ceres,  that  it  was  like  being  removed  from  pur- 
gatory to  paradise.  His  name,  I  think,  was  Edwards.  "\Vo 
arrived  about  tho  beginning  of  October  at  New-York,  and  were 
ininiediately  sent  on  board  the  prison-ship  in  a  small  schooner 


AITEMJIX. 


110 


called,  ironically  cuoiigli,  the  liclifj]  coiumaiulod  by  one 
Gardner,  an  Irishman.  This  schooner  Relief  plied  between 
the  prlson-slili)  and  NcAV-York,  and  carried  the  water  and 
provisions  from  the  city  to  the  ship.  In  fiict,  the  said 
schooner  might  emphatically  be  termed  tlie  licUef,  for  tlie 
execrable  water  and  provisions  she  carried  relieved  many  of 
my  brave  but  unfortunate  countrymen  l)ij  death,  from  the 
misery  and  savage  treatment  they  daily  endured,  IJcforo  I  go 
on  to  relate  the  treatment  wo  experienced  on  board  the 
Jersey,  I  Avill  make  one  remark,  and  that  is,  that  if  you  were 
to  rako  the  infernal  regions,  I  doubt  whether  you  could  find 
such  another  set  of  dtcmons  as  the  officers  and  men  who  hud 
charge  of  the  old  Jersey  prison-ship.  And,  Sir,  I  shall  not  be 
surprised  if  you,  possessing  those  finer  feelings  which  I  believe 
are  interwoven  in  the  composition  of  man,  and  which  are  not 
totally  torn  from  the  piece,  till,  by  a  long  and  obstinate  per- 
severance in  the  meanest,  the  basest,  and  crudest  of  all  human 
arts,  a  man  becomes  lost  to  every  sense  of  honour,  of  justice, 
of  humanity,  and  common  honesty ;— I  shall  not  be  surprised, 
I  say,  if  you,  possessing  those  finer  feelings,  should  doubt 
whether  men  could  be  so  lost  to  their  sacred  obligations  to 
their  God,  and  the  moral  ties  which  ought  to  bind  them  to 
their  duty  toward  their  fellow  men,  as  those  men  were,  who 
had  the  charge,  and  also  those  who  had  any  agency  in  the 
affairs  of  the  Jersey  prison-ship.  On  my  arrival  on  loard  the 
old  Jersey,  I  found  there  ahout  eleven  hundred  lyrisoncrs ; 
many  of  them  had  been  therefrom  three  to  six  vionths,  but  fete 


120 


APPENDIX. 


'I 


I 


lircd  over  that  time  if  they  did  not  get  away  hy  some  means  cr 
other.  They  were  generally  in  the  most  deplonible  situation^ 
mere  uaRing  skeletons,  without  money,  and  scarcely  clothes  to 
cover  their  nakedness,  and  overrun  with  lice  from  head  to  foot. 
The  jtrotisions,  Sir,  that  were  served  out  to  its  was  not  more 
than  four  or  fee  ounces  of  meat,  and  ahout  as  much  bread,  all 
condemned  prov isions  from  their  shi2)s  oficar,  which  no  doxibt 
were  supplied  with  neio  in  their  stead,  and  the  new  in  all  jiro- 
hahiUty  charged  hy  the  commissaries  to  the  Jersey.  They, 
however,  Inoic  best  ahout  that;  and  hoxeever  secure  they  may 
now  fee!,  they  will  have  to  render  an  account  of  that  business 
to  a  Judge  who  cannot  be  deceived.  Tliis  Ijict,  hoicero;  lean 
safely  aver,  that  both  the  times  that  I  teas  confined  on  board 
the  jirison-shi}),  there  never  were  provisions  served  oiit  to  the 
jtrisoners  that  tcould  have  been  eatable  by  men  that  were  not 
literally  in  a  starving  situation.  The  tcater  that  tec  were 
forced  to  use  was  carried  from  this  city;  and  I  positively 
assert,  that  I  never,  after  having  folloiced  the  sea  thirty  years, 
had  on  board  of  any  ship,  (and  I  have  been  three  years  on  some 
of  my  voyages)  water  sO  bad  as  that  tee  tcere  obliged  to  iise  on 
board  the  old  Jersey ;  when  there  was,  as  it  were  to  tantalize 
lis,  as  fine  water,  not  more  than  three  cables  length  from  iis,  at 
the  mill  in  the  Wallabout,  as  icas  p>erhaps  ever  dranl: 

There  were  hogs  kept  in  pens  on  the  gun-deck  by  the  officers 
of  the  prison-ship  for  their  own  use  ;  and  I  have  seen  the 
prisoners  watch  an  opportunity,  and  with  a  tin  pot  steal  the 
bran  from  the  hogs'  trough,  and  go  into  the  galley,  and  when 


Al'PEXniX. 


121 


they  could  get  an  oppoitunity,  loil  it  on  the  fire,  and  eat  it  as 
you,  Sir,  tcoidd  eat  of  good  soup  when  hungry.  This  I  have 
seen  more  than  once,  and  there  are  those  now  living  leside  me 
tcho  can  iear  testimony  to  the  same  Jact.  There  are  many 
other  facts  ciinally  abomiiiablo  that  I  could  mention,  but  tlie 
very  tiiought  of  those  tilings  brings  to  my  recollection  scones 
the  most  distressing.  "When  I  rotlect  how  many  hundreds  of 
my  brave  and  intrei)id  brother  seamen  and  countrymen  I  have 
seen  in  all  the  bloom  of  health,  brought  on  board  of  that  ship, 
and  in  a  few  days  numbered  with  the  dead,  in  consequence  of 
the  savage  treatment  they  there  received  ;  I  can  but  adore  my 
Creator  that  he  suffered  mo  to  escape ;  but  I  did  not  escape, 
Sir,  without  being  brought  to  tlie  very  verge  of  the  grave. 
This  was  the  second  time  I  was  on  board,  which  I  shall  men- 
tion more  particularly  hereafter.  Those  of  us  who  liad  money 
fared  much  better  than  those  who  had  none.  I  had  made  out 
to  save,  when  taken,  about  twenty  dollars,  and  Avith  that  I 
could  buy  from  the  bumboats  that  were  permitted  to  come 
along  side,  bread,  fruit,  &c.,  but.  Sir,  those  buniboatmen  were 
of  the  same  kidney  with  the  officers  of  the  Jersey ;  we  got 
nothing  from  them  without  paying  through  the  nose  for  it,  and 
I  soon  found  the  bottom  of  my  purse  ;  after  which  I  fared  no 
better  than  the  rest.  I  was,  however,  fortunate  in  another 
respect ;  for  after  liaving  been  there  about  six  weeks,  two  of 
my  countrymen,  (I  am  a  Xantucket  man)  happened  to  come  to 
New-York  to  endeavour  to  recover  a  whaling  sloop  that  had 
been  captiu-ed,  with  a  whaling  licence  from  Admiral  Digby ; 


122 


APPFA'DTX. 


J. 
I") 


ami  tlioy  fouml  means  to  procure  my  release,  passin:?  me  for  a 
Quaker,  to  wliicli  I  confess  I  liail  no  pretensions  further  tlian 
my  mother  being  a  member  of  that  respectable  society.  Tlius, 
Sir,  I  returned  to  my  friends  fit  for  tlio  newest  fashion,  after 
an  absence  cf  three  years.  For  my  wholo  wardrobe  I  carried 
on  my  back,  Aviiich  consisted  of  a  jacket,  sliirt,  and  trousers,  a 
pair  of  old  shoes,  and  a  handkerchief  served  me  for  a  hat,  and 
liad  more  than  two  months,  for  I  lost  my  hat  the  day  we  were 
taken,  from  the  main-top-gallant-yard,  fnrling  the  top-gallant- 
sail.  My  clothes,  I  forgot  to  mention,  were  completely  laced 
with  locomotive  tinsel,  and  moved,  as  if  by  instinct,  in  all 
directions ;  bnt  as  my  mother  was  n'^t  fond  of  such  company, 
she  furnished  mo  with  a  suit  of  my  father's,  who  was  absent 
at  sea,  and  condemned  my  lacod  suit  for  the  benefit  of  all 
concerned. 

Being  then  in  the  prime  of  youth,  about  eighteen  years  of 
age,  and  natu:ally  of  a  roving  disposition,  I  could  not  bear  the 
idea  of  being  idle  at  home.  I  therefore  i)rocecdcd  to  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island,  and  shipping  on  board  the  brig  Betsey 
and  Polly,  Captain  Robert  Folgor,  bound  for  Virginia  and 
Amsterdam,  we  sailed  from  N'ewport  early  in  February,  1T83  ; 
and  were  taken  five  days  after  off  the  capes  of  Virginia,  by  the 
Fair  American  privateer,  of  this  port,  mounting  sixteen  sixes, 
and  having  eighty-fivo  men,  commanded  by  one  Burton,  a 
refugee,  most  of  whose  otticers  were  of  the  same  stamp.  Wo 
were  immediately  handcufted  two  and  two,  and  ordered  into 
the  hold  in  the  cable-tier.     Having  been  plundered  of  our 


I!   I 


APPIXDIX. 


123 


beds  and  boddinjr,  tlic  softest  bed  we  b:ul  wan  tbo  soft  side  of 
a  water  cask  and  tbe  coils  of  a  cable.  Tbo  Fair  American 
baviiij,'  been  liandsoinely  dressed  by  an  United  States  vessel  of 
one  balf  of  lier  force,  was  obliged  to  put  into  New-York,  tlieii 
in  possession  of  tbo  IJritisb  enemy,  to  rent;  and  we  arrived 
witliin  tbo  Hook  about  tlio  be^jinning  of  Marcb,  and  were  put 
on  board  a  pilot  boat  and  brought  up  to  tliis  city.  Tbe  boat 
bauled  along  side  of  tbo  Crano-wbarf,  wboro  we  bad  our  irons 
knocked  off,  the  marki  ofiBhkh  I  carry  to  this  day  ;  and  were 
put  on  board  the  same  schooner  A'eZiV/ menticuied  in  a  former 
part  of  this  narrative,  and  sent  up  onco  more  to  the  prison- 
ship.  It  was  just  three  months  from  my  leaving  the  old  Jersey, 
to  my  being  again  a  prisoner  on  board  of  her;  and  on  my 
return  I  found  but  very  few  of  those  whom  I  bad  left  three 
months  before  ;  some  had  made  their  escape  ;  some  had  been 
exchanged ;  hut  the  greater  part  had  tal-eii  vp  their  abode 
under  the  surface  of  that  hill  which  yon  can  see  from  your 
windows,  inhere  their  hones  are  mouldering  to  dust,  and 
mingling  icith  mother  earth;  a  lesson  to  Americans,  mitten  ix 

C.vriTALS,  ON  BUITISII  CUUEF.TY  AND  INJUSTICE.     IfoiUul,  on  my 

return  on  hoard  the  Jersey,  more  prisoners  than  when  I  left 
her  ;  and  she  heing  so  crowded,  they  were  obliged  to  send  about 
two  hundred  of  us  on  board  the  John,  a  transport  ship  of  about 
three  hundred  tons.  There  ree  were  treated  worse,  if  possible, 
than  on  hoard  the  Jersey;  and  our  accommodations  icere  infi- 
nitely worse,  for  the  Jersey  heing  an  old  condemned  sirtyfoar 
gun  ship,  had  two  tier  of  ports  fore  and  aft,  air  ports  and  Urge 


\2\ 


AITKXDIX. 


b 


i. 


hatrhirnyx,  irhuh  (ffiir  a  prettij  ficc  rirruhttion  of  air  through 
the  ship;  tchercaa  the  John  hciiifj  a  mcrchunt  ship,  and  irilh 
small  hafchirays,  and  no  ports,  and  the  hatches  laid  doicn  fveiy 
night,  and  no  man  alloietd  during  the  night  to  go  on  decl;  all 
exonerations  were  of  coursr  made  helow  ;  the  ejHutia  arining 
from  these,  together  with  the  already  contaminated  air  occa- 
sioned by  the  breath  0/  so  many  jtcoplc  so  pent  vp  together, 
iriis  enough  to  destroy  men  of  the  most  healthy  and  robust 
constitutions.  All  the  time  I  iras  on  board  this  ship  not 
a  jn'isoner  eat  his  allowance,  bad  as  it  was,  coohd,  more  than 
three  or  four  times  ;  but  eat  it  raio  as  it  came  out  of  the  barrel. 
These,  Sir,  arc  stubborn  facts  that  cannot  be  controverted. 
In  the  middle  of  this  slii)*,  between  decks,  was  raised  a  plat- 
form of  boards  about  two  aiul  a  half  feet  high,  for  those 
prisoners  to  sleep  on  who  had  no  hammocks.  On  this  they 
used  fre(iuently  to  sit  and  play  at  cards  to  pass  the  time.  One 
night  in  particidar,  several  of  us  sat  to  see  them  play  till  about 
ten  (('dock,  and  then  retired  to  our  hammocks,  and  left  them 
])laying;  about  one  A.M.  wo  were  called  and  told  that  one 
Bird  was  dying;  we  turned  out  and  went  to  av here  he  lay, 
and  found  him  just  cxi)iriiig.  Thus,  at  ten  P.M.  this  young 
man  was  apparently  as  well  as  any  of  us,  and  at  one  A.  M.  had 
l)aid  the  debt  to  natnre.  Many  others  Avent  off  in  the  same 
w!iy.  It  will  i)erhaps  be  said  that  men  may  die  suddenly  any 
where.  True;  but  do  they  die  suddenly  any  where  from  the 
same  cause?  After  all  these  things,  it  is,  I  think,  impossible 
for  the  mind  to  form  aiiv  other  conclnsion  tliun  that  there  was 


Al'I'KNDIX. 


125 


d 
>t 
II 
I. 
1. 

;e 

■y 

ic 
lit 
III 
lie 

y, 

ad 
lie 

'ly 

lie 

l.le 
•lis 


u  i.iviiicditatea  design  to  dcstn.y  a.s  many  Aiiiericaus  as  they 
cm.ld  on  boiu-d  of  their  pris  .ii->hii.s;  the  treatment  i.f  t!ie 
I.risoncrs  warrants  tho  coneliision;  but  it  is  mean,  base  and 
cowardly,  to  cndeavonr  to  con-i'ier  an  enemy  by  siicli  infamous 
means,  and  truly  characteristic  of  base  ami  cowardly  wretches. 
Tho  truly  brave  will  always  treat  their  prisoners  well.    Thero 
were  two  or  three  hospital  ships  near  the  prison  ships;  and 
so  soon  as  any  of  the  prisoners  complained  of  being  sick,  they 
were  sent  on  board  of  one  of  them  ;  and  I  verily  believe  that 
not  one  out  of  a  hundred  ever  returned  or  recovered.     1  am 
sure  I  never  knew  but  one  to  recover.     Almost  (and  in  fact  1 
believe  I  may  safely  say)  every  morning  a  large  hoatfrom  each 
of  the  JioKpital  sh.-ps  tccnt  loaded  with  dead  lodics,  which  iccrc 
all  tumhled  together  into  a  hole  dug  for  the  purpose,  on  the  hill 
tchcre  the  national  navy-yard  now  is.    A  singular  atlair  hap- 
pened on  board  of  one  of  those  hospital-ships,  and  no  less  true 
than  singular.     All  the  prisoners  that  died  after  the  boat  with 
tlie  load  had  gone  ashore,  were  sowed  up  in  hammocks,  and 
left  on  deck  till  the  next  morning.     As  usual,  a  great  number 
liad  thus  been  disposed  of.     In  the  morning,  while  employed 
in  loading  the  boat,  one  of  the  seamen  perceived  motion  in  one 
of  the  hammocks,  just  as  they  were  about  launching  it  down 
the  board  placed  for  that  purpose  from  the  gunwale  of  tho 

ship  into  the  boat,  and  exclaimed,  D n  my  eyes,  that  fellow 

is  not  dead;  and,  if  1  have  been  rightly  informed,  and  1  believe 
[  have,  tliere  was  quite  a  dispute  between  this  man  and  the 
others' about  it.    They  swore  he  was  dead  enough,  and  should 


s 


.(■ 


120 


ArPKNDIX. 


* 


III 


go  into  the  boat;  !iO  swore  he  sliould  wit  be  laanclic;!,  as  they 
torniod  it,  ami  took  liis  knife  and  ripped  oi)on  tlic  lianiinoek, 
and  bcliold !  tha  man  was  really  alive.  There  liad  been  a 
l»eavy  rain  daring  the  niglit,  and  as  tlie  vital  functions  had 
not  totally  ceased,  but  were  merely  suspended  in  consequence 
of  the  main  spring  being  out  of  order,  this  seasonable  moisten- 
ing must  Iiave  given  tone  and  elasticity  to  the  great  spring, 
wiiich  must  have  communicated  to  the  lesser  ones,  and  put 
the  whole  machinery  again  in  motion.  You  know  better 
about  th»\se  things  than  I  do,  and  can  better  judge  of  the 
cause  of  tho  re-animation  of  this  man  from  the  circumstances 
mentioned.  lie  was  a  native  of  Ilhodc-Islaud;  his  name  was 
(Javot,  lie  went  to  IlhoJe-Island  in  tho  same  Hag  of  truce 
with  mo  about  a  month  afterwards.  I  fjit  extremely  ill,  but 
made  out  to  keep  about  till  I  got  homo  (my  parents  then  lived 
on  tho  island  of  Nantucket) ;  was  then  taken  down,  and  lay 
in.  my  bed  six  weeks  in  tho  most  deplorable  situation  ;  my 
body  was  swelled  to  a  great  degree,  and  my  legs  were  as  big 
round  as  my  body  now  is,  and  atlected  with  the  most  excruci- 
iitiiig  pains.  What  my  disorder  was  I  will  not  pretend  to  say ; 
but  Dr.  Tupper,  quite  an  omiueut  i)hysician,  and  a  noted  tory, 
who  attended  mc,  declared  to  my  mother  that  ho  knew  of 
nothing  tliat  would  operate  in  tho  manner  that  my  disorder 
did  but  poison.  For  the  truth  of  this  I  refer  to  my  father  and 
brothers,  and  to  Mr.  Henry  Coffin,  father  to  Captain  Peter 
CoHin,  of  the  Manchester  Packet  of  this  port. 
Thus,  Sir,  in  some  haste,  without  much  attention  to  order 


s 


Ari'KNDIX. 


127 


or  diction,  I  liavo  given  you  part  of  the  history  of  my  life  and 
sutreriiigs ;  but  I  endeavoured  to  bear  them  as  becamo  an 
American.  And  I  must  mention,  before  I  close,  to  the  ever- 
lasting honour  of  those  unfortunate  Americans  who  were  on 
board  the  Jersey  prison-sliip,  that  notwithstanding  the  savage 
treatment  they  received,  and  death  staring  them  in  the  face, 
every  attempt  (which  was  very  frequent)  that  the  British 
made  to  persuade  them  to  enter  on  board  their  ships  of  Avar 
or  in  their  army,  was  treated  with  the  utmost  contempt ;  and 
I  never  knew,  while  I  was  on  board,  but  one  instance  of 
defection,  and  that  person  was  hooted  at  and  abused  by  the 
prisoners  till  the  boat  was  rut  of  hearing.  The  patriotism  in 
preferring  such  treatment,  and  even  death  in  its  most  frightful 
shapes,  to  the  serving  tiic  British,  and  figliting  against  their 
own  country,  has  seldom  been  equalled,  certainly  never 
excelled.  And  if  there  be  no  monument  raised  with  liands 
to  commemorato  the  virtue  of  those  men,  it  is  stanqied 
in  caiiitals  on  the  heart  of  every  American  accpuiinted  wilii 
tlieir  merit  and  sutlerings,  and  will  there  renuiin  so  long  as  the 
blood  ilows  from  its  fountain. 

Medical  Urposilory,  Vol.  xi.,  or  Vol.  v.  cf'id  Ikxadv,ip.  200  'iCT. 


^^V^^ 


